By PETE KLEIN

Express News Staff

LONG LAKE - School officials feel they are trying to draft a budget in the dark, thanks to the 2 percent cap on tax levy increases and the formula the state wants them to use to determine what it is.

When the Long Lake Central School Board of Education met Thursday, Jan. 12, Superintendent Mary Dickerson gave a PowerPoint presentation outlining some of the known and unknown of this year’s budget process.

“We are working on a budget without a known formula yet,” she said.

This is because the state was busy until last month working on the formula for town and county budgets, which had to be adopted last month.

With that done the state has turned its attention to working on a formula for the schools, which are required to provide their draft budgets to the state in March.

KNOWN FACTORS

Some things are known. The cap is subject to the following exclusions or modifications.

• A growth factor reflecting the “quantity change” in taxable property values in the base year is based on physical changes to taxable properties. These taxes can be added to the allowable tax levy increase once they are reflected on the local tax roll.

• Tort settlements or awards whose costs exceed 5 percent of the tax levy in the base year.

• Capital costs, as school districts cannot borrow money them without voter approval.

• Pension contribution increases exceeding 2 percent of covered payroll.

• Carry-over of up to 1.5 percent of unused tax levy growth to the following year. For example, if taxes are raised by 2 percent in a year when the cap is 3 percent, 1 percent can be added to the subsequent year’s tax levy cap.

A budget that exceeds the 2 percent cap may be adopted if school district voters approve it by 60 percent plus one vote.

UNKNOWN FACTORS

Some of the moving targets include expected increases in the costs of fuel and heath insurance and state aid, which is expected to fall. How much is not yet known.

Hope springs eternal that state legislators will provide some relief by taking over the costs of unfunded and underfunded mandates (over 90), but this appears unlikely. Legislative leaders and the governor would need to increase the income tax, which they pledge not to do.

NEXT CHAPTER

Dickerson said a first draft of the budget would be presented and discussed in February.

“We remain committed to keeping the school open and educating our children,” she said. To do this she is asking residents to offer ideas on where savings might be found.

She is also asking people to not listen to or spread rumors. “Call or stop in and ask if you have any questions,” Dickerson said.

BIDS

Five bids were received to install emergency lighting and an ancillary fire suppression system in the cafeteria kitchen. Bids ranged from a high of $144,991 to a low of $104,922. The board accepted the low bid from Skelly Contractors Inc., Ogdensburg.

The next meeting of the LLCS BOE will be Thursday, Feb. 9, starting at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.