By Carol P. Bartold

Dec. 23, 2015: Financial realities, in the form of reduced current fiscal-year revenue and an anticipated zero-percent tax levy cap for the 2016-2017 year, have presented the Bronxville Board of Education with budgeting challenges.

Dan Carlin, assistant superintendent for business, reported to the board at its December 17 meeting that, although he does not forecast the district overspending its $46.4 million dollar this year, he also does not expect the budget to generate a material surplus.

Carlin stated that the finance committee has made a deliberate effort over the past two years to produce budgets that did not include any built-in surpluses. Therefore, district budgets have become tighter than they were three or four years ago.

The district has used a portion of surpluses realized in prior years to help offset the property tax levy.

Carlin noted that the district is seeing a shortfall of approximately $80,000 in budgeted tuition this year. "We closed the door to tuition students because of enrollment concerns, but we may look to add more of those students in the coming years." The school currently has only four tuition students enrolled.

Small savings in costs of contractual personnel, employee benefits, and reduced debt service payments, he explained, are helping to offset the revenue shortfall.

"We are expecting a zero-percent tax levy cap next year [imposed by the state]," Carlin said. He estimated that the first draft of the budget would most likely contain a tax levy increase of more than one percent.

The New York State tax levy cap is the lower of two percent and the rate of inflation. Jeff Rohr, board vice president and finance committee chair, stated that, since the inflation rate is zero and could remain at that level, the district might face a budget with no increase in revenue for 2016-2017.

"It will be very difficult for us to be able to achieve this zero-percent tax levy," Rohr said. "We will probably have to invade some of our capital accounts this year, depending how much our surplus is."

Rohr added that, in looking at costs and not even considering the volatility of pension payment requirements, salary schedule requirements alone would constitute a two-percent increase in the budget.

Carlin reported that the first draft of the 2016-2017 budget will be available this week for board members to review in advance of the February 6, 2016, budget workshop.

Pictured here:  Board vice president Jeff Rohr, board president Denise Tormey, Superintendent Dr. David Quattrone, and board members David Brashear, Jon Atkeson, and Mary Giuffra.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold