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CityREVIEW NewRochelle April 8, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 7 | www.cityreviewnr.com
Balanced budget will allow 5 new full-time teachers By SARAH VARNEY Education Reporter
Home, sweet Home?
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton held a rally in front of a bevy of supporters at SUNY Purchase on March 31, just weeks ahead of the New York primary on April 19. For more, see page 6. Photo/Andrew Dapolite
County Playland review deadline extended to late April By JAMES PERO Staff Writer An agreement between Westchester County and the management company Standard Amusements to transfer management of Rye Playland will spill over into late April as the Board of Legislators works to whittle down the deal’s $58 million in countyfunded capital projects.
A newly proposed deal by members of the county Board of Legislators, according to board Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Yorktown Democrat, would suggest a new price tag of $30 million in county-funded infrastructure projects, cutting the former proposal by nearly half. As a part of an amended agreement struck between Standard and Republican County
Executive Rob Astorino’s administration, which was reached in late February, Standard is also planning to invest $30 million of its own money into making necessary improvements to the park. Ned McCormack, spokesperson for Astorino’s administration, said that the new proposed dollar amount isn’t set in stone, but will be part of an ongoing conversation with the Board of
Legislators and Standard. “The negotiations are between Standard and the board,” McCormack said. “If they come up with a number that’s less than $58 million then that’s between them.” According to Kaplowitz, the proposed $30 million in county-funded projects for the park represents a much more feasible PLAYLAND continued on page 9
After a long lead up, Assistant Superintendent for Business Jeffrey White unveiled a tax capcompliant budget of $254.6 million that won’t tap the fledgling undesignated reserve fund. The school district’s fund currently totals approximately $3 million. Generally, districts strive to keep 4 percent of the total budget in reserves, meaning New Rochelle should have approximately $7.5 million. Three years ago, New Rochelle’s reserves were all but nonexistent. The proposed 2016-2017 budget made its debut at the April 5 meeting of the Board of Education. School district administrators provided two thick stacks of budget information, one with 106 pages summarizing the budget and the other with a line by line total. New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Osborne credited the zero-based budgeting approach, which consists of tallying costs and expenditures individually, with enabling many decreased expenses. With zero budgeting, the tally of costs and expenditures is started from scratch. “We benefited greatly from it. We got to every department this year and this should tell you how every dollar is being spent,” White said. According to White, signifi-
cant decreases in contribution rates to both teacher and employee pension plans, a $3.8 million decrease in tax certiorari judgments and a boost of $2.1 million in state aid were the primary enablers of the balanced budget. Based on a tax levy increase of 1.11 percent, the tax rate increase for resident homeowners is projected at 1.41 percent. According to White, that means most homeowners will see an increase of about $163 in next year’s school tax bill. The proposed budget represents a spending increase of 1.42 percent over the 2015-2016 budget. The projected increase includes debt service costs incurred by the $106 million capital bond which will be voted upon with the budget by the public on May 17. The budget calls for the addition of three elementary school teachers and two teachers at the middle schools, along with a part-time studio art instructor for the high school, a part-time psychologist for the pre-kindergarten program based at the Henry Barnard Early Childhood Center and a part-time English as a Second Language instructor. Trinity Elementary School will gain two teachers for sections in the second and fourth grades. Ward Elementary School will gain an additional teacher BuDgEt continued on page 11