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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From The Superintendent of Schools. January 20, 2009: Timothy P. Connors has released the laundry list of school budget suggestions voiced by about 100 citizens at last Thursday evening’s First School Budget Community Forum at White Plains High School at which the district announced it was seeking to cut the school budget $9.2 Million. Here is the Superintendent’s cover letter. To see the suggestions, click “Read More.”
January 16, 2009
Dear Friends of Education,
On behalf of the Board of Education and the Administration, we thank you for joining our budget forum last evening.
The attached are the recommendations you made that the Board of Education and I consider as we develop our preliminary budget. Your suggestions were thoughtful and informative and will be helpful in our deliberations.
We look forward to seeing you at our next budget forum on February 25th at 7:30 p.m. at White Plains High School.
Timothy P. Connors
Superintendent of Schools
WORK SESSION #1
1. What are the programs and/or services the school district should reduce or eliminate?
Programs
Can we afford the Newcomer Center?
Some languages (especially at WPHS) i.e. german, latin
Elementary Summer School
Provide Pre-K program on an eligibility based method
Reduce or eliminate programs with lower attendance/enrollment
Reduce or eliminate out of district conferences
Try to bring back students being sent to other schools at taxpayer expense – Get services back in-house
Reduce non-teaching programs
Eliminate programs that are limited to a small population
Evaluate elective offerings
Eliminate free Pre-K to families that can pay
Eliminate programs that don’t work
Fewer Arts programs – how you spend money
Fewer sports
Is WINGS program necessary?
Streamline Special Education programs in Elementary Schools (maybe only 3 out of 5 schools)
Services
Can we afford the freshman sports teams?
How do we better coordinate non-varsity level sports with City?
Winter/Summer Enrichment and Bussing costs
Transportation
Field trips/Costly transportation
Streamline amounts of bus routes
Return to neighborhood schools – reduce busing
Go to neighborhood schools
Increase mileage for transportation – .25 to .5 miles
Eliminate 2:00 bus at Highlands/Eastview
Consultants
Reduce consultant costs – reduce amount of consultants – use inside staff
Review Staff Development training costs ( stop outsourcing)
Administrative Consultants (i.e. mission statement)
Stop hiring outside agencies to determine problems and join or network with other school districts
Personnel
Reduce administrative positions across the board cuts – every administrator must cut something
Restructure the Administration
Reduce Teacher/Administrator salaries
Eliminate overtime
Freeze salaries and benefits
Personnel – all contribute 25% to benefits
Put teachers back in the classroom
Inefficiencies to be reduced – overlapping
Consider reducing salary of Superintendent
Teaching Assistants
Reduce teacher pull-outs (reduces need for subs)
Fiscal Suggestions
Joint facilities contract – does this benefit us?
Eliminate redundancy
Reduce freebies – e.g. food at meetings
Reduce trash (paper costs)
Reduce “bought programs”
Eliminate waste
Combine school district’s purchasing
Honor what has worked – stop new initiatives
Use our fiscal relationships with the City to increase commercial taxes to reduce certioraris
Have a dedicated grant writer to seek federal, state, environmental grants – use the state or administrative budget to fund this
Build relationships with corporations to partner in the “Adopt-A-School Program”
Draw funds from groups such as the African American Men of Westchester, Aspira, Latino Organizations, sororities, fraternities etc.
Re-evaluate federal funds value vs. our costs
2. What are some other ideas that would generate cost savings within the school district?
Programs
Adult Ed & Summer School Programs have significant tuitions?
Privatize food and nutrition
Examine food services for efficiency/quality
Review mandated vs. not mandated programs
Look at programs and evaluate before you expand
Eliminate 6th grade foreign language
Services
Consolidate services and programs with nearby districts or City of WP
Review/renegotiate all service contracts
Transportation
Decrease busing minimums
Review/renegotiate our contracts with transportation
Share transportation cost with the County
Should parents pay for transportation like at WPHS?
Can we pool with other districts on fuel?
Should we have tougher mileage guidelines?
Transportation costs – how do buses operate?
Do virtual field trips instead of paying for buses etc.
Personnel
Offer retirement incentives
Look at use of administration
Review cost of benefits for new hires
Salary cuts and cuts in benefits
Review overtime expenses
Review overtime in 3 years before retirement
Examine ratio of administrators to teachers
Examine ratio of administrators to students
Administrators agree to a “give back” from huge % increase from most recent contract
All employees need to share in the necessity to cut costs by freezing salaries
Employees contribute to benefits
Salary increases should be comparative to surrounding community
Get steps and annual increases under control
Use our own in-district talents for “curriculum and staff development instead of hiring outside consultants
More effective use of administrators
Eliminate administrators
Team teaching – 2 teachers for inclusion classes – hire lower cost teachers (not higher on scale if not necessary)
Look at all our people (jobs). How do the impact the children? How necessary are all the positions?
Expand the pension based calculation
Are we administratively top heavy?
Facilities
Review whether outside groups are paying full cost of facility rentals
No A/C in administration offices
Overheating in schools
Conserve energy
Look at using schools differently – K-1/2-3/4-5
Class Sizes
Increase in class size – review Honors/AP class size
Increase class sizes
Small increase in class sizes – e.g. if the average size is 20, go up 1 or 2 students
Fees
Explore charging for AP Classes (sliding scale?)
Charge other districts for services offered by WPCSD e.g. special education and staff training
Families contribute to sports/clubs/extracurricular activities (Apply Free or Reduced Lunch Assessment)
Materials fees
Book fees if you don’t return them
Sports fees
Arts fees
Eliminate “professional courtesy” for teachers to bring their own children to our district for free if they don’t live in W.P.
Rationalize Special Education costs
Miscellaneous
Must have O-based budget
Positive enrollment to verify City residency
Find ways to share with neighboring districts
Have we written any grants?
What are the results of the grant-writing committee (2008)?
Refinance debt service for lower interest rates
More time blocks in school day (High School)
Extend learning time – not so fragmented
Promote partnership with local educational institutions
School supplies should be centralized – ordering may not be cost-effective
Use alternative vendors for purchasing of library books
3. With less revenue, what can the district do without?
Personnel
Eliminate department heads – too many coordinators
Lower benefit costs
Look at essential employees at Ed House
Programs
Consider bilingual class reduction
Eliminate 6th and 7th grade LOTE at Eastview
Maintain current programs
Eliminate some extra-curricular clubs/activities
Look at how many students are in all classes! Is there anything that has minimal enrollment?
Should parents have to pay for some classes?
Review Saturday reading program and combining them into fewer schools
Summer School – have parents pay out of pockets
Reading Recovery
Re-evaluate Afterschool ELA/Math tutorial programs
Summer School: review students and their achievements
Facilities
Utilize High School over summer
Rent space?
Public use of school buildings should be limited to fewer days/schools
Do we need to keep Ed House building or can the offices be included in the schools?
Defer or reduce maintenance and equipment
Miscellaneous
Spend for what you need not what you want
Tougher standards for proof of residency
New furniture
Combine meetings
Save postage on unnecessary mailings
We could do without make-up days due to the weather
New initiatives
More aggressive research into getting rid of families who don’t live in White Plains but are using our schools “tuition free”
WORK SESSION #2
1. What areas of personnel (staffing) can be reduced or eliminated?
Teachers
Offer Senior teachers a buy-out (retirement)
Instructional Specialists
Reduce the number of subs – use TAs to sub and save money
Examine team teaching method
Eliminate use of district teachers as subs
Job description of Guidance Counselors should be more closely related to support students well being as opposed to scheduling
Administration
Cabinet
Overload of Administrators without teaching responsibilities
Eliminate Administrators – too many levels
Evaluate organizational structure within Administration and consolidate
Administration
Assistant Superintendents
Central Office personnel
Adult Ed Admin. Position
Specialists
Specialists
Examine use of specialists at Elementary Schools
Instructional specialists will have classroom responsibilities – can help cover classes
Technology specialists have already been reduced
Support Staff
Examine support staff’s responsibilities. Perhaps they can be used more efficiently.
Office Staff – Is it possible to reduce this?
Review support staff necessity i.e. office, social work etc.
Redistribute workload amongst existing maintenance personnel
Re-evaluate support services (Parent Information Center, Food Services)
Make office positions part-time to reduce benefits
Utilize more temporary positions
Coordinators
Make Department Heads teach part-time
Coordinators
Have Coordinators teach
Teaching Assistants
Reduce TA’s
Dr. Martin Luther King — An American Value
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WPCNR THE BIG EXTRA. News & Comment by John F. Bailey. January 19 2009: I wrote this column in 2004. It still stands relevant today, Monday morning at 8 A.M. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in
In the pomp and partying surrounding the Barack Obama Inauguration binge that’s been going on the last three days, Dr. Martin Luther King — the man who made Barack Obama possible has all but been forgotten. President-Elect Obama surely will mention him his speech Tuesday. If not, Mr. O, please put him in your speech now. Just a paragraph will do.
But let me revive this column, which began this way:
George Washington stands for honesty.
Abraham Lincoln for freedom
Dr. King’s name stands for
When I think of Dr. King, I think of the Selma marches, I think of Birmingham, I think of Little Rock, Arkansas, where he lead the African-American community in demonstrations asking for the right of equal opportunity in America: a seat on a bus wherever they chose; a restaurant or hotel of their choice; the right to apply for a job without being turned down because you were black. Blatant in-your-face- discrimination was publicized by Dr. King and
It took fearlessness to do that. Who today has that fearlessness that Dr. King and his followers showed all of
Today, subtle discrimination denying equal opportunity, denying education, exploiting the poor and guaranteeing less opportunity are the evils that Dr. King, had he lived, would be attacking today.
When I write those sentences I just wrote, it seems incomprehensible to me that someone would deny another person that. When you think about it, it is an awful situation to think about. In the 38 years since Dr. King was murdered, the nation has come a long way in breaking down the visible barriers of racism based on creed and the color of one’s skin — and now, today, the language one speaks and where they are from. The education establishment with the exception perhaps of the Port Chester School District, as pointed out by the Journal News series on education running this week, continues to favor the English-speaking, the wealthied, and the well-situated.
Today the barriers to Equal Opportunity are more subtle and just as effective.
Barriers still exist: in the classroom. There is reluctance to deliver quality education to the black and Hispanic populations in
The only reason there is a concentrated effort to do so are the state achievement tests which showed the shame of our education programs for minorities. The Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is to be commended for pushing this program.
In the last ten years the products of this subtle unequal educational opportunity have been well documented and given a name: The Achievement Gap. The educational establishment invests millions in studies to fine solutions to it and they have learned a lot about it. It takes more
The lagging of minority youth is blamed on the home and family breakdown. Well then you have to bring more attention to the family unit and those youngsters’ home environment, putting the education in there. It’s expensive but if you want to solve the Achievement Gap you have to do that. The City of
The argument that you have to speak English in the schools and learn through English is racial superiority. Of course you have to learn to speak English, but really, Bilingual education is how we English-speakers learn another language. Port Chester has achieved this — and WPCNR pointed this out to the White Plains School Board six years ago. Why is this new?
Every new teacher being hired in the White Plains School District should be bilingual — that’s the first thing the new Superintendent just announced should work on when he comes in July 1. And how about for his new Superintendent’s cabinet a educator in charge of bilingual education and performance, just for starters.
Why not have teachers educate children in their own language with English simultaneously? It is proven to work in Port Chester and
This discrimination Dr. Martin Luther King would find hard to take.
He would bristle at lowering standards for minorities, because he would see right through that argument, saying: when are you going to raise the standards for my people because you don’t have to work any harder at educating them if you do not raise your expectations for them.
I think Dr. King would look around today and appreciate how Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and Jews, Catholics and Protestants, Muslims and other races mingle together in today’s
I think he’d observe we are all becoming more appreciative and respectful of each other. But, I do not think he would like today’s buzz word :”diversity” and our smugness about our diversity.
He would say that’s nice, but let’s keep our eye on the prize, to borrow the wonderful motto of the White Plains Department of Public Safety, let us treat all with integrity, professionalism, respect, and to that add opportunity.
Now, let’s think how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would handle the present homeless situation in
I believe Dr. Martin Luther King if he were in White Plains today would bring the homeless 40 or so spending nights in the woods and overflowing at 186 West Post Road at the warming shelter to breakfast with him. He’d have them camp out in tents at Andy Spano’s house or on the island at Renaissance Square. He would not let it pass. He’d run as many warming shelters as he felt necessary and get that television coverage when they were going to be closed down.
Dr. King was not only politically incorrect, but politically uncooperative.
He’d introduce the “feared 40” all around to the rich and the powerful and the well-connected and show them the people whom they are treating like cruel political pawns by our leaders on the county and the city level – all over this county.
He’d ask each to tell their stories at his breakfast. He’d prey for compassion from us the wealthy, the powerful and the decent, and the respectable to have compassion for the weak, the misdirected, the addicted and disturbed, and the mortgage-ravaged.
He’d ask
He’d challenge us to step up our humanity, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did when no one else would 39 years ago.
He’d shame the two governments, county and city, for not treating the homeless with simple human respect and adhering to the constitution, which prohibits you from being jailed for no reason – a policy incredulously being pushed by politicians who should read the constitution just once to reset their minds.
And about our gangs: Dr. Martin Luther King would go out to the streets of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, New Rochelle, Peekskill – the cities where gang activity has been reported – and speak to them about where they are going. (Perhaps he’d simply speak to
It is difficult to say Dr. King would say to the gang members of our area. But, I assure you he’d be in their midst confronting this problem and admitting it exists.
As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Monday. Ask ourselves what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would think of the way we have treated the homeless on the Warming Center issue. What he would think about how we have “reached out?” Would he approve of the way we are working with our youth, our Hispanic population, about how dollars are being used for affordable housing and why it cannot be built faster, about how dollars are being spent in school districts whether on educating people or creating buildings or stadiums; how dollars are being spent by organizations supposedly helping the afflicted, and how they are really doing, and what are they doing with the dollars.
He’d excoriate the variable and below prime mortages now being foreclosed as a new form of financial redlining invented by the financial establishment to exploit. He’d ridicule the efforts of the government to “save” billion dollar financial institutions while allowing homeowners to lose their houses.
Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. approve?
He’d remind us that Jesus Christ chose to minister to the “hardcore” of his time. He went into their midst. He healed them and made them fishers of men.
The way to honor Dr. King tomorrow and at the “celebrated” holiday next week is to honor the afflicted, help the troubled with dignity, not humiliate them, not shun them, not “throw them out.”
The way Dr. King would view our world today?
He’d observe that “we need work.”
That the lynchings and the shutting of school doors are gone, but the attitudes remain.
And he’d point that out with that his long and finger pointing right at us.
He’d say, “I still have a dream.”
And he’d be celebrating Barack Obama’s election but pointing his finger at him for the pomp and party atmosphere that will exist Tuesday, and calling upon him to keep his eye on the prize and not on the power, the prestige, and the people who would steer him away from what needs to be done.
Westco Offers New Workshop for Special Needs Kids and Adults
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WPCNR STAGE DOOR. From Westco Productions. January 18, 2009:Building on the success of its Magic To Do Players theatrical workshops for children and young adults with developmental special needs, such as Down Syndrome and autisim, Westco Productions will be offering a new workshop focusing on dance and movement skills for participants with special needs, it was announced today by Susan Katz, Westco’s Executive Director.
“Unlike the Magic To Do Players, the new workshops will not be directed toward preparation for a theater performance,” Katz said. “Instead, the participants will be working towards improving their coordination, concentration, and dance skills through specialized instruction and individualized attention,” she added.
Plans call for the workshop sessions to take place after school on six Tuesdays beginning April 21. There will be two sessions, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The workshop will meet at Westco’s rehearsal studio in the Westchester Arts Council’s
Further details, including prerequisites for participation and registration, can be obtained by calling Westco at 914-761-7463.
Fire in Basement at 60 Lake Street Handled Quickly by Firefighters
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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. January 17, 2009: A fire broke out in the basement of 60 Lake Street opposite the Getty Service Station Saturday afternoon. Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson describes the incident:
There was a “Fire in the basement of a 1 story commercial building. Knocked down quickly.
Adjacent building evacuated as a precaution for about 30 minutes. No injuries.
Believed to be caused by someone using a torch earlier in the day to unfreeze a pipe.
Good quick job done by fire personnel.
White Plains Circuit City at City Center to Close March 21
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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. January 16, 2009: WPCNR has learned that Circuit City the large electronics retail center adjacent Barnes & Noble in the City Center, White Plains, will close March 21, according to sources. The Circuit City website reports that the organization plans to liquidate and will not reorganize. The closing leaves White Plains without a major “big box” electronics draw in the city.
The Circuit City website reports it plans to close all of its chain by the end of March.
New London’s Clouet Tapped for White Plains Superintendent of Schools
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the Board of Education. (EDITED) January 16, 2009: White Plains Board of Education has announced it has selected Dr. Christopher Clouet as the finalist in the search for a new Superintendent of Schools. If a site visit and contract formalities proceed as anticipated, the Board of Education reports Dr. Clouet will be appointed in February and will succeed Tim Connors as Superintendent in July. In letter to the Community, President of the Board of Education Donna McLaughlin wrote, “We believe that Dr. Clouet has the experience and record of success we were seeking in order to continue the outstanding leadership that Mr. Connors has provided.”
Ms. McLaughlin’s letter states Dr. Clouet will be in the district on January 28th to visit schools and meet staff. A meeting with the community, open to the public, has been arranged for that evening, at 7:30 P.M. in the. Media Center at White Plains High School.
Currently Superintendent of the New London (CT) Public Schools, Dr. Clouet has eight years’ experience as a superintendent. He is in his second term as Chairman of the Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents and was named Connecticut Multicultural Educator of the Year in 2000. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, he has Masters’ degrees from Brown and Fairfield Universities. He earned his Doctorate at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Forty-two candidates from seven states and the District of Columbia were evaluated by consultants John Chambers and Deborah Raizes of the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. After initial interviews with top candidates, the Board narrowed the list and expanded the interview team.
McLaughlin’s letter reports that a number of persons from the school district hierarchy, as well as PTA and community groups, in addition to the Board of Education interviewed the key Superintendent candidates. They include representatives from the Civil Service, Teachers, and Administrators and Supervisors Associations, the Superintendent’s Cabinet, PTA Council and Centro Hispano. We wanted to include as many people as possible in the final interviews but were aware that we had to maintain confidentiality, or we would lose impressive candidates.
BOE Will Keep Budget Where it Is. Superintendent Selected.
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 15, 2009: In an unprecedented promise, Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business, told an audience of 100 persons at tonight’s Community Forum on the budget that the district was not going to do a roll over budget plus increases for 2009-2010. He promised the district would be looking to keep the budget at this year’s number: $184.4 Million. This would necessitate a $9.2 Million cut in spending, based on Seiler’s estimate of a 5% increase to continue at the present spending level.
Outgoing Superintendent of Schools, Timothy Connors, addressing over 100 residents at the Community Forum on the school budget Thursday night. Mr. Connors successor has been chosen, but the Board of Education did not reveal the identity of the new Superintendent or that they had accepted last night.
WPCNR has also learned from a member of the Board of Education that a new Superintendent of Schools to shepherd the district after June 30 has been chosen by consensus by the Board and that person will be announced to the media Friday according to Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the Board of Education.
The candidate has accepted and the money has been preliminarily agreed upon. No one WPCNR talked with would reveal the identity of the new superintendent choice. Persons familiar with the choice said all 4 of 5 of the finalists had excellent financial backgrounds and were outstanding candidates.
Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors said he had not had a role in reviewing the candidates, but expected to work with the new hire after they join the district. Next in the process will come site visits by the Board to the new superintendent’s district, and vice versa. WPCNR was told by our Board source that the money had been “worked out.”
Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler announced the budget policy goal in his opening remarks, briefing slightly over 100 citizens at the first Community Forum on the budget at White Plains High School. Seiler confirmed WPCNR projections on the budget saying if the budget was rolled over it would increase 5%, or $193.6 Million. WPCNR had predicted at the district average 6.4% rise over the last 11 year, $196.3 Million.
Seiler detailed cut after cut in anticipated district revenue loss, painting a gloomy picture of lost state aid amounting to $4 Million-plus , and additional debt service of $1.7 Million. The projected shortfall has prompted the district to set a no-increase goal for this year.
Though Seiler did not mention what a roll—over figure would be. His estimate of “about 5%” of $184.4 Million would work out to $9.2 Million and that would total $193.6 Million. Average increase in the school budget the last 11 years has been 6.4%, as WPCNR has noted in past articles.
Donna McLaughlin said that the anticipated increase in the White Plains Teachers contract had been “figured in,” despite the contract negotiations being in mediation at this time.
The Pressures
Seiler said that the anticipated aid cuts including the new debt service related to the capital project to be put out for financing shortly would create a 9.3Million shortfall, (if, mind you the governor’s education cuts for 2009-10 is not changed).
Seiler told WPCNR, two legislator he talked to said they did not expect those cuts to be changed.
Seiler added that assessments and equalization rates had not been set and it was too early to tell that impact.
However, the preliminary assessment roll figure did come out January 1 is in and it is $288.4 Million, resulting in a shortfall in the levy, if it holds at that level. In order to keep the budget where it is, the budget has to be cut an additional $1.7 Million down to $182.7 Million to avoid a $7 increase in the tax rate.
Certioraris Forever
Seiler also predicted school liability for $8 to $10 Million in certiorari refunds in 2009-2010 and going forward “annually,” giving no indication when the certiorari drain will stop. This certiorari debt payment was apparently not figured into the cuts, or did not appear to be, but may be. How that debt would be paid was not addressed last night.
It is worthwhile for school board members and the newly chosen Superintendent of Schools to note, that the new 2008 White Plains equalization rate of 2.75, last year’s was 2.74. This is the magic number that drives certiorari filings. It portends a wave of repeat certioraris in the years ahead from big name successful cert filers of the past. If that comes to pass, it could mean dire problems for the city and the school district and ultimately the tax payers, unless of course the state, or someone legislates a freeze on certiorari filings.
Seiler has reported previously that the $8 Million in certs for 2009-2010 will go out for financing with the capital project bond since interest rates are at their lowest point in years.
STAR Mayhem Revealed
Additonally, Seiler said the Governor’s 2009-2010 budget included a further 10% STAR reduction for each homeowner. The Department of Real Property Services reports that the reduction included in the Governor’s budget actually is more than that for BASIC (under 65 Homeowners) and ENHANCED STAR homeowners (over 65), it is 18%. This will cost each White Plains BASIC taxpayer $300, and each ENHANCED Star Recipient, $596 in taxes from the start. Seiler mentioned also that the STAR Rebate up to $1,000 has been eliminated in the Governor’s new budget.
Things may not be as dire as painted last night, if the state legislators throw out the Governor’s cuts and President-Elect Barack Obama shoots massive billions in aid to New York State as a green tourniquet for New York as a financial disaster area, wiping out the state $15 Billion deficit in one swoop.
Seiler said the Governor has proposed a decrease in state aid to the district of $2 Million (taking away last year’s increase in state aid 75% of which was actually paid for by White Plains taxpayers thanks to the legislature stealth STAR Exemption cut of 10%. WPCNR reported this last April. In fact WPCNR told the School District about this cut at the time.
Give us Your Ideas for Cuts
With this as a gloomy background the 100 residents of White Plains arriving on the snowy night were then given a chance to weight in with suggestions for cuts. Theresa Niss gave the group their marching orders and each table was asked to give the district their ideas on how the budget would be cut.
The Superintendent said the district wanted the attendees ideas on how to cut the budget and what areas should be cut. Two 20-minute lightning-round discussions were held at each table to discuss the following issues:
The First 20-minute Lightning Round Questions the respondents were asked were:
1. What are the programs and/or services the school district should cut or eliminate?
2. What are some other ideas that would generate cost savings within the school district?
3. With less revenue, what can the district do without?
The Second 20-minute Lightning Round Questions respondents were asked to comment on were:
1. What areas of personnel (staffing) can be reduced or eliminated?
2. In what areas can class size be increased?
3. How could we generate additional revenue?
After each session, Superintendent of Schools circulated among the tables reminiscent of Jerry Springer asking a spokesperson from each of the tables to give one suggestion. The suggestions were written up on large easels at each table. They will be tabulated and e-mailed to participants.
Suggestions were written on easels at each table. They were collected and will be e-mailed to participants prior to the next Community Forum on February 25.
Wrapping up the evening, it was said that the Board and administrators would be looking at the suggestions and using it to craft a budget, apparently no larger than $184.4 Million. The new budget would be presented February 25 again at the high school with the district decisions for public comment.
The primary announced suggestions were cutting benefits, cutting personnel, cutting administration, a long-range budget cutting plan, expanding class sizes, cutting transportaion. But this is not an all-inclusive list.
Underground Springs Affect Loucks Field.
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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. January 14, 2009: The White Plains City School District confirmed today underground springs in the embankment overlooking Loucks Field at the high school may be threatening the $5.4 Million Loucks Field renovation, where an Olympic quality Track and synthetic turf field opened just 10 months ago. The spring problem was discovered about a year ago approximately the time the new track was laid down and after the aritificial turf was laid.
Construction Monday on Loucks Field Terrace, installing drains and retaining to prevent underground spring seepage onto Loucks Field.
Work began on installing a retaining wall and a drainage system on the hill approximately January 2 and has been going on for at least two weeks. Seiler said the work crews are installing drainage pipes to reroute underground springs that flow in the embankment area upon which the new bleachers are built.
Seiler told WPCNR the work is being done to prevent water from the springs under the hill collecting on the track. Asked if the waters were coming up from underneath the track, Seiler said they were not.
Loucks Field Monday in 25 degree temperatures. Pools of water reflect goalposts. All other snow was frozen crispy solid and there was no melting or slush to be seen except on the track. Extent of leakage, whether subterranean or surface has not been disclosed to reporters
WPCNR and a companion first noticed water appearing to ooze UP onto the track at the north end of the field, (above)from under a removable panel January 2. When the panel was stood on, the water seeped out (above) indicating water underneath the panel. (Shown above).
WPCNR called the high school athletic director last week, to ask whether there was an underground water problem developing at the track. The Athletic Director said there was not. He said they were just putting in a retaining wall, that had been planned to be done as part of the field.
Work began on south side of stadium “terrace” at end of December.
Today, Mr. Seiler said, the district “contracted a year ago to do it.” He said the effort at putting in the retaining wall and drain pipes were to “direct where it (the water) goes instead of on the field.” He described the water from the embankment as “draining more up on the hill there.” He said, to his knowledge it did not come up under the track.
He directed WPCNR to Mike Lynch, head of Facilities and Operations who was handling the project. WPCNR called early this afternoon to ask Mr. Lynch why the draining problem would be addressed at this stage of the construction instead of before the field was built and what the cost of the retaining wall work. The question is also raised as to why the condition was not addressed by the architect and field construction contractor. It may be this is standard procedure to take care of drainage after a field is constructed, or whether there was an issue of getting the field and track ready in time for the Loucks Games last May.
Seiler put the cost as over $25,000 but did not have the exact figure. WPCNR awaits Mr. Lynch’s explanation of the work and to what extent the integrity of the track and the artificial turf installation is compromised by the rogue springs.
Sources have told WPCNR that the springs have long been known to exist in the area and the district was aware of them. In addition, it isWPCNR’s recollection that the Loucks Field also presented drainage problems after rains.
The State of the School District
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. January 14, 2009: The following conditions have been determined by computations based upon WPCNR review of the White Plains School District 2008-2009 School Budget Summary, and are based upon WPCNR reporting and knowledge of factors affecting the school budget 2009-2010. Not all factors may come true, in light of the state legislature controversy over the Governor’s budget cuts and the possibilities of massive government aid to ease the New York State Budget Crunch.
In the absence of any budget figures provided by the School District prior to the Community Forum that takes place Thursday evening, WPCNR offers this Situation Sheet to update those not following school budget history with an overview of factors that may or may not determine the 2009-10 budget
STATE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SITUATION SHEET
Prepared by The White Plains CitizeNetReporter
2. Budget has risen an average 6.4 % a Year Over the last 11 years. This occurs automatically in part due to the compounding effect of the school budget expenses such as automatic step increases, and general inflation.
3. Inflation rate (White Plains adjusted) over the last 11 years has averaged 3% a Year.
4. 2008-2009 Budget, if increased at the 6.4% Average (last year the budget increased 5.95%)
Would hit 196.3 Million, assuming District Revenues (property tax, school aid, other revenues remain the same.)
5. Over those 11 years School Property Taxes increased at an average rate of 7.83% a year, in the current tax year (2008-2009) they increased 5.98%
6. In 2009-2010 if the 6.4% average raise holds, the budget will be about $196.3 Mllion if there are no cuts in the budget and spending remains at the same levels, and no school aid (or other revenues) decline. If spending increases, and it is likely it may for several reasons, the budget could move higher.
7. Assessments as of 1st of January are down to $288.4 Million from $291.8 Million of 2008-2009 according to the City Assessor.
Should the assessment figure remain at the $288.4 (rounded off here from $288,371,173) Million figure, the decline to $288.4 Million creates a current $1.7 Million revenue shortfall (projected) in district revenues which in and of itself increases the tax rate from $503 to $510 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
If property owner challenges due by January 21, lower assessments more, the shortfall will necessitate further increases in the tax rate.
8. Relation of Assessments to Tax Rate.
For those unfamiliar with the formula of how Assessments drive the tax rate: Here is a simple explanation
This budget year 2008-2009 assessments were at $291.8 Million for the School District
In the new Budget Year 2009-2010, the Assessor as of Jan 1 pegs them at $288.4
This year’s Tax Rate was $503.01
How was it figured? Here’s how:
$1,000 goes into $291.8 Million, 291.8 Times. 291.8 times $503.01 equals $146.8 Million – this year’s 2008-2009 tax levy.
Since preliminary assessments are down 3.4 Million (from $291.8) this means that at this year’s tax rate you only generate $145.1 Million in levy, leaving a shortfall of $1.7 Million in revenue. By adding $7 to the tax rate the district makes up that shortfall. ($510 x 288.4 produces $147 Million dollars.
So the tax rate needs to go to $510/$1,000 to just raise the LEVY you Raised for this year $147 Million.
The upshot of this is that, as you can see means that for every additional increases the district is forced to lay on over the $184.4 Million to do what they want “for the kids,” is all well and good, but you have to increase the tax rate or receive aid or “relief” to cover it.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
9. The school district and the teachers are in mediation proceedings on the school teachers contract. Teachers desire to make up 17% rise in benefits costs to teachers that wiped out their 3% raise based on their last one year contract. District has at this point according to the teachers union refused to make an offer since last June.
10. If the mediator recommends a 3% raise in line with the area 2.7% inflation rate then salaries will go up more than the $83.8 Million they were paid this year, and any increase will be retroactive covering the last 6-1/2 months. If the mediator suggests a 4% or 5% raise then the budget is impacted even more, when added to the 2% automatic step increase in effect annually for teachers in the first 20 years they are employed.
Currently there are 651 full-time teachers employed by the district. Half of those teachers do not receive step increases for longevity , since they have been employed in the district more than 20 years. Their salaries are determined by whatever salary settlement is reached. This will be a major stumbling block to a frugal settlement, in view of the benefits costs that rose 17% over the life of the contract that expired last June.
11. The teaching assistants are members of the CSEA. That union contract expires in June, creating another looming settlement for the district to negotiate in the spring.
12. A 4% increase in salaries adds 3.36 Million to the budget in teacher salaries (at $84 Million ) plus the 1.7 Million in automatic 2% increase…so a settled Teachers contract at 6% (2% in annual longevity raise and 3 to 4% in salary will push the budget to $201 Million.
13. If the mediator settlement comes down to 2.5% in salaries the district is better off of course. But it remains to be seen whether the step increase remains the same. A 2.5 and a 2% step raise would still raise salaries for half the teachers to 4-1/2% overall. Depending on whether the mediator recommends 3%, 3-1/2%, 4%, 4.5% or 5% in salary raises, the salary budget increase could range $5 Million and up. There is the possibility the mediator could recommend no raise and steps only.
14. Benefits:
WPCNR has learned is that the recommended increase as part of the statewide health benefits plan the district participates in will hit 4%. That means another $1.6 Million on the $40 Million in benefits paid last year and that pushes the budget to $202.6 Million. You may begin to see how these various factors if all come into play will pushing the budget up past the $200 Million level.
15. On the Adminstration Side, the present budget has $10.5 Million in administrative Salaries.
Last year in June the district awarded 42 Full-time Coordinators/Directors/Principals/ and Assistant Administrators an average 7.5% in raises (totaling $444,000 plus in salary increases). The average increase in dollars was $10,500 plus.
The district employees 1 Teacher for every 13 students, and one Administrator for every 13 full-time teachers.
16. School Aid: The state has threatened to trim school aid.
Last year White Plains received a 14% increase in school aid. If there is a cut from that…this is more revenue the district has to make up.
17. The major contribution to the budget are salaries and benefits. ($140 Million).
18. Tax Impact.
Just doing rough numbers, if the district spends at the same rate,
If we hold at $196 to 197 Million to make up assessments and pay for the current spending
We go from $503 to $546 per/$1,000. ($7 for reduced assessment, $39 for increased budget)
$2.5 M to $5M and up in salaries (teachers) $8.67 (Minimum) $555/M
$1.6 in Health benefits — $6M $561/M
$4M in Administration and Debt Service Increase
AID Cuts…………………………………………… $14 —$575/$1,000
Median Home Assessed at $15,145 — $8,700 in School Taxes UP $1,082 from this year.
19. Major Budget Lines not considered as going up: Transportation, Utilities, “Other,” BOCES
20. There have been no cuts in spending as of this date by the school district. No attrition of employees. The District continues to replace persons leaving the district. Programs are being approved
21. School District Monday night was told the district is going to bond for the $16 Million in infrastructure improvements as part of the bond and Bond $8 Million for certioraris.
The rationale was bonds are offering very low interest rates now and contractors are eagber for work so project will save district money.
22. The State is considering decreasing the STAR Exemptions both BASIC and ENHANCED STAR by 18% this is going to cost the taxpayer another $300 and $600 each in school taxes
23. Coming up the Community Forum on Thursday evening.
No budget numbers so far announced. School District says they want input on how to structure the budget, and what is “important” to the people of White Plains. As late as last night the District adised the CNA they would not present a Premliminary Budget Thursday evening.
Presently there has been no effort by the district to cut expenses this year.
City Sales Down 12% for Holiday Season down 12%. City Hall:More Cuts in Current
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WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. January 14, 2009. UPDATED 5 P.M. E.S.T. UPDATED 7:15 P.M. E.S.T.: Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, reported to WPCNR today White Plains sales in the recently completed Holiday season were down 11%.
White Plains collected $11,886,191 in sales taxes in October, November and December, down 11% from the WPCNR forecast, had overall sales kept pace with 2007 indicating total 2nd quarter sales were down 12%.
In the “holiday quarter,” October, November, December of 2007, the city received $11,841,285 in sales tax. This year’s handle is about $45,000 more despite a 1/4% increase in sales tax this year. That the city sales tax collections kept pace with last year indicate that the 1/4% sales tax offset the decline year to year of 12% in overall sales.
WPCNR estimated earlier this year that if sales maintained the 2007 pace, 2-1/4% of sales the city would have received $14 Million in sales tax last quarter. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, July-August-September, the city economy generated $12, 476,731 in sales tax, up 14.3%.
In the holiday quarter of 2008, Wood said the sales tax is up 0.4%.
Mr. Wood said the city was still on target to make budget ($45.4 Million in anticipated sales tax collection in fiscal 08-09, but he was “not optimistic.”
“This shows glaringly the effect of the loss of the additional 1/4% the Mayor had requested last year,” Mr. Wood said. Wood referenced Mayor Joseph Delfino’s request of the Common Council in fall of 2007 to raise sales taxes 1/2% last fall, only to be rebuffed by the Common Council and Assemblyman Adam Bradley, who instead ended up asking the state legislature for 1/4%. “Had we gotten that 1/4% (sales tax), we’d be in good shape,” Wood said.
Susan Habel Commissioner of Planning said the 1/4% that did not happen would have covered the $2 Million decline in mortgage tax and declines in licenses and building permits the city is suffering due to a dead stop of new construction in the city. To date there are six city-approved site plans by WPCNR count: 55 Bank Street, The Venue, two condominium projects on Maple Avenue, Kensington Assisted Living Project, North Street Community, and the 1133 Westchester Avenue hotel and office buildings approved that are on hold.
Wood said the Mayor is going back to city departments to make more cuts in their budgets. He could not at this time predict what the city deficit might be. Last year the city generated $11.2 Million in the third quarter and $10.7 Million in the fourth quarter in a different economic environment at the old sales tax rate.
If the present rate of purchasing in the city sustains itselt the city should just make its sales tax handle:
1st Quarter: $12,476,731
2nd Quarter, $11,886,191
3rd Quarter, 11.2 Million (Last Year)
4th Quarter, $10.7 Million (Last Year)
Total Sales Tax: $46,262,922
(if collections in Quarter 3 & 4 Match 2007-2008 pace.)
Back to Budgets
Wood said the Mayor has no choice but to go back to all city departments and ask for more budget cuts to curb spending now.”I can’t wait until March, because then it’s too late, the money will all have been spent,” Wood said.
Wood said he was asking departments to do more reviews now. He ruled out early retirement offers and held out the possibility of full-time employees being fired.
Previously the Mayor had ordered 10% cuts in Department spending. About 21part-time employees to date have been targeted to be let go. 6 Department of Public Works employees used in March and April to get fields ready have been fired and 4 employees from the Ebersole Rink. The White Plains Public Library is considering firing 11 more part-time employees, and cutting out Sunday hours to meet a $400,000 budget cutting target.
The Library Board meets this evening to discuss options at the library in a meeting at 7 P.M.
No Documentation Yet
To date, despite repeated requests by WPCNR, city hall has not issued a detailing of the cuts in all departments and how the cuts are shared by each department in actual dollars, and how they are made up. Heat has been turned down at city hall. Some employees have been reported bringing electric heaters from home to keep warm in the municipal building.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the School District in the midyear of its budget year, by contrast has not taken any budget cutting moves on the current budget now being spent.
Hotel Sales Tax Killed by Republicans in Senate: Back Story
In another effort to generate more revenue for the city, last year the city attempted to get Albany to pass a Hotel Tax for White Plains. This failed too, as WPCNR alluded to in the first edition of this story
WPCNR reported that Mr. Bradley had declined to offer the Hotel Sales Tax, also requested by the Mayor. WPCNR was contacted by Adam Bradley’s office which revealed the actual sequence of how the hotel sales tax met its end in Albany.
Jay Peltz, an attorney with Adam Bradley’s office advised WPCNR that Assemblyman Bradley had offered the hotel tax bill in the Assembly and had gotten it passed by the Assembly. Mr. Bradley, according to Mr. Peltz, got State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer to carry the Assembly Bill to the senate, only to have it blocked by Republican Senators in the State Senate.
According to Peltz, the Republicans did not want Ms. Oppenheimer to have any bills to her credit, because Republican Liz Feld was challenging for Ms. Oppenheimer’s seat. Peltz said Assemblyman Bradley contacted the Mayor’s office and advised them that the Senate Republicans were blocking the Hotel Tax Bill and because they did not want Ms. Oppenheimer to be able to point to any bills to her credit. Peltz said Mr. Bradley urged the Mayor’s office to get the City Albany lobbyists to work on the Republicans in the city interest on the hotel tax bill. Apparently the effort, if any, by the city lobbyists failed.