As with this year’s Board of Trustee elections in Roslyn area villages, there is no opposition to the incumbents on the Roslyn School District board. Both Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy and Clifford Saffron are set to be re-elected to another three-year term. (See additional stories on page three.)
However, the Tuesday, May 20 ballot will include votes on the district’s 2013-2014 budget, a bond referendum on capital improvements throughout the district and the Bryant Library’s budget.
The proposed budget for the 2013-14 school year has been set at $102,731,007. According to district officials, the budget-to-budget increase is 0.65 percent, and the projected tax levy increase is 0.64 percent.
In their various presentations, district officials have noted that the small increases are well below the 2 percent state-mandated limit on increases in the tax levy. The proposed budget, they have also noted, represents the sixth consecutive year in which Roslyn’s school budget has been well below that state target. The average annual increase in the tax levy over this six-year period has been 1.29 percent. Also in their presentations, district officials have said that all instructional programs are maintained and class size guidelines are unchanged.
The ballot that has garnered much of the district’s energy is Proposition 3. This vote is a $41.3 million bond referendum for renovations, infrastructure upgrades and/or new construction in all of the district’s schools.
In their numerous presentations, district officials have said that the net annual tax increase for the bond, for a home at the average assessed value in the district, is less than $60 per year.
In addition, a special bond newsletter was mailed to all residents a few weeks ago with many details about the proposal. Those residents that did not receive one should contact the Community Relations Department at 801-5090 or visit www.roslynschools.org for comprehensive information about both the bond referendum and school budget.
District residents will also vote on Proposition 4, which authorizes the lease-purchase of two large school buses and 3 vans to replace older vehicles in the district’s fleet. Finally, details for the Bryant Library’s proposed budget for 2014-15 can be obtained by visiting www.bryantlibrary.org or by calling the library at 621-2240.
To vote in a school election, an individual must be:
• A U.S. citizen
• 18 years old by Election Day
• A resident in the Roslyn School District for at least 30 days by election day.
• Registered to vote.
Call the Business Office at 801-5030 for additional budget information, or visit the district’s website at www.roslynschools.org.
Residents can download a voter registration form or absentee ballot application from the district website. Call the District Clerk at 801-5002 for additional voter information.
On May 20, voting takes place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Roslyn High School.
