While a proposed increase by the state Legislature of almost half a million dollars over Gov. Pataki's executive budget proposal would be a step in the right direction, according to district Business Administrator Bill Hogan, the continuing drive to somehow do more with less is indicative of an ongoing, disturbing trend in public education.

Over the last seven years alone, state revenue handed down to Berlin has decreased by roughly 10 percent, from 57 to the 48 percent of total revenue in the 2006-07 proposed budget, which has a local property tax share of this revenue of 46 percent. Total revenue was expected to be roughly $16.6 million prior to state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno's pledge of $500,000, and total expenditures of about $17.7 million.

The tax rate is projected at roughly $52.55 per $1,000 of assessed property value, an increase of about 7 percent, but the final figure won't be finalized until August.

Dr. Theresa Thayer Snyder, Brittonkill's superintendent, was by contrast positively jubilant about her district's spending plan, the first since she took the district's reins where she was not asked to make deep cuts but instead had opportunity to take a close look at programs.

The proposed $19.7 million budget increases spending by about 3 percent over this year and carries a tax increase of 4.5 percent. This budget is about $154,000 under the contingency cap, a diminished level of spending the district would be law be forced to adhere to if voters twice reject the proposed budget.

This increased latitude in spending is due in part to the retirement of a number of debts related to capital improvement projects the district embarked upon more than a decade ago - no longer being saddled with debt service payments will allow Brittonkill to take on projects like replacing the gym floor which has been untouched since the school was built and redo the auditorium which has not been refurbished since 1970 plus other upgrades.

Brittonkill taxpayers in Brunswick should see their tax bills go up by about $138 if the budget passes, in Grafton $119, Pittstown $136, Poestenkill $164 and Schaghticoke $160 though these figures won't be final until August, Snyder said.

Seeking election to four open seats on the Board of Education are five candidates, including three incumbents. The open seats, for three 3-year terms and one 1-year term, are sought by newcomers Pete Meskoskey and Robert Cushing and incumbents Karen Jandali, Paul Baley and Nancy LaRocque, who was appointed to fill a vacancy last year.

Under the proposed $75.1 million budget proposed for the coming year, the average taxpayer can expect to see a tax increase of roughly 5 percent, and voters will also be asked to approve two propositions and fill three seats on the Board of Education sought by four candidates.

Compared to the $70.1 million budget now in place, the new spending plan would increase by just over six percent, with the property tax levy at an estimated $44.7 million.

The two propositions on the ballot both deal with bus purchases - the first would allow for bonding on a five-year note to purchase two 65-passenger buses for $82,300 each, a pair of 22-passenger buses at $41,700 and a one-ton pickup with plow at a maximum cost of $27,500. The overall cost of this proposition is $275,500.

The second proposition, worth $454,300, would provide for the purchase of four, 65-passenger buses at $82,300 each plus three, 22-passenger buses at $41,700 each. Funds would be drawn from the voter-approved capital Reserve Fund.

The Board of Education on April 12 adopted a $17.4 million budget which carries a tax increase of just more than 7 percent. Also on the ballot are a proposition, whether to expend up to $138,200 for the purchase of school buses, and two 3-year terms on the school board sought by Laurie Gormley, an incumbent, and Greg Laurin.

On the expense side, the budget grapples with ever-rising costs, including health insurance, retirement contributions and energy - the proposed budget would spend almost $345,000 more in insurance, a 13 percent increase, almost $85,000 more on retirement reflecting a rate increase to 8.6 percent, and almost $70,000 more on energy costs compared to the current year.

State aid of almost $7.4 million is anticipated, an increase of almost 9 percent over current funding. Local taxes will fund the district to the tune of $7.9 million next year if voters approve the budget, which would also spend down the district's fund balance by $1.3 million.

"We are advancing a 3 to 6 percent tax levy increase in our brochure," said Superintendent James A. Seeley. The disparity will be resolved by state aid if the Legislature's plan holds. Seeley explains that he expects the tax bills will come in at the low end of that range.

As the proposed budget stands, the district will spend $17.3 million, of which $8.3 million will be from tax revenue; while spending will rise more than 7 percent, the anticipated tax increase is only half as much. Seeley said health insurance cost increases of over 10 percent and the rise of energy costs by over 40 percent are behind higher spending, rising costs also borne by other schools alongside state and federal mandates also adding to the cost of education.

When asking about state-mandated archiving of student data, Seeley said "that's forced us into a position where we had to increase a person from a teacher's assistant to almost a teacher's salary" to reflect the increased workload of a part-time aide teaching in a computer lab being given responsibility of formulating state reports.

Taxpayers without a STAR exemption can expect school tax bills of about $2,200 based on assessed property value of $82,000. Those with a STAR exemption, which shaves $30,000 from true property value, will see bills of about $1,600 while those with enhanced STAR exemptions, which cuts $50,000 from property value, will pay about $1,200.

According to city school Superintendent Gordon Reynolds, this year's budget is a relatively cut-and-dried affair reflecting the largely static nature of the community.

"We're looking at a total 2006-2007 general fund budget of $15.5 million," of which $7.6 million is anticipated state aid, he said. "Our budget will increase 3.96 percent and our tax levy increase right now is about 3.6 percent. As usual, we work within our means. We're just moving ahead and trying to deal with what everyone else is, namely fuel, retirement and health insurance costs."

Under the $18.9 million budget proposed by the Board of Education, which will itself see elections for three seats, taxpayers living in Schodack will be asked to pay 4.77 percent more in school taxes while the few living in the Stuyvesant portion of the district will pay less due to equalization calculations; the overall budget spends about 4 percent more than the current year.

According to Director of Business and Services Sherri Fisher, the same cost issues forcing expansion of other districts' budgets - namely health insurance and energy costs - are at play here, as are changes in special education staffing and procedure. State aid, meanwhile, continues to decline.

The proposed budget contains proposed state aid of $6.9 million, down slightly from the current $7 million. Balanced against this aid are new costs of roughly $221,000 that will fund a professional development fund, a network technician's job and K-12 library automation that are each new programs.

Residents will vote on the 2006-07 budget of $82.5 million. Taxpayers in Troy will face a 4.48 percent tax hike, and taxpayers in Brunswick will see a tax decrease of 3.95 percent.

Five candidates for the Board of Education will seek votes for three open seats. Incumbents Pat O'Grady, Michael Pollack and Jason Schofield face Mary Marro-Giroux and Ilene Clinton for the three-year terms.

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