School District Hammering Out A Budget

The Board of Education at a special meeting Tuesday spent three hours poring over an early version of the 2013-14 school budget as part of the process leading to a final version expected later this month. 

Line by line and page by page members went through the tentative budget, which was unavailable to the public. Citing page numbers or line item numbers, board members peppered Brian Smyth, district business administrator, with questions about spending in this department and that.

Other members of the administration also were asked to explain portions of the $68 million tentative budget for the upcoming school year. The board introduced the spending plan at a special meeting last week. A public hearing on a final version is expected on March 26.

The district budget, as if left as introduced, is $68,655,910 for the 2013-14 school year, including repayment of debt and entitlements. The tax rate, tax impact on the average home assessment and the tax levy have not been calculated while the budget is being finalized, officials have said.

“It is a tentative budget that we’re still working on,’’ board member Joseph Tonzola said.

Smyth said the district’s goal was to keep the tax impact on the average home assessment to less than $100 more than last year.

“We’re about halfway there,’’ he said.

The board is expected to talk more about the budget at the next public meeting, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. March 19 at the Intermediate School.