Board Adopts $44 Million Budget

After four months of deliberation and public discussion, the Bronxville Board of Education adopted a $44,240,325 budget for 2012-13 -- essentially flat for the fourth consecutive year.  This spending plan represents a 1.46% budget-to-budget increase and a tax levy increase of less than 1%.  The .98% tax levy increase is well under the calculated tax cap of 1.51%.  The finance committee recommended final adjustments reflecting a $40,000 increase in state aid and an additional $110,000. The adopted budget will be presented  for final public comment on May 3, with a school budget vote on May 15, 2012.

The finance committee recommendations prompted a discussion of how best to allocate money to reserves, a topic that will be considered and acted upon in June when any actual surpluses will become apparent. Some Board members expressed concern about increasing the district's dependency on reserves to artificially lower the tax rate; others believe the district is over reserved in some accounts, such as certiorari or ERS funds.  There was also a question about how much should be added to the construction reserve.  For the upcoming budget year the Board voted to use $950,000 of reserves, up from $840,000 in the current year. Looking ahead to the next budget cycle, Board members requested more time to consider these alternatives prior to making decisions.