The administration of Ardsley School District has posted the full details of their proposed 2008-2009 budget. The theme of this year's budget, according to an email from Interim School Superintendent Jason Friedman, is "Maintaining the Excellence."
The budget maintains all instructional and extra-curricular programs, and maintains the district's current student-teacher ratio. Although the increase over last year's budget is 5.3% ($2.8 million), the increase in the district's tax rate will be 7.83%. According to the School Board, this difference is attributed to "significant certiorari claims and the removal of Payment In Lieu Of Tax (PILOT) agreements which reduce the district’s total assessed property value."
The budget reflects an expected decline in enrollment at the elementary level, but these gains are offset by "increases in energy costs; rising special education costs; and increases in employee fringe benefits," according to Mr. Friedman.
To dig into the detail of this proposed budget, see the following links:
- Revenue Summary
- Expenditure Summary
- Administrative Expenses
- Program Expenditures
- Capital Expenditures
- Tax Rate
You can make your voice heard on the subject of this budget at Board Meeting next week, on Wednesday, April 9th, at 8pm in the High School.
What do you think of the proposed budget? Make your voice heard by leaving a comment below.
