Dear Community Members:
On May 15th, three propositions will be before the voters of our school community as authorized by the Wappingers Central School District’s Board of Education.
First, a proposed 2007-2008 budget of $165,829,939 reflecting a 5.48% increase over this year’s Contingency Budget. This would be the smallest percentage increase experienced in the last five years. For purposes of comparison, this percentage increase is lower than the statewide average of 6%...lower than the Dutchess County average of 6.2%...and lower than the five county regional average of 5.86%. This regional average includes Columbia, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Ulster counties.
The tax levy increase associated with the proposed budget is 4.88% and would represent the smallest percentage increase in the last six years.
The Board of Education, as required by law, has also adopted a Contingency Budget which could be implemented should the proposed budget be rejected as was the case this school year. The Contingency Budget is only $542,394 less than the budget being proposed with the difference representing the deletion of funding for equipment and student supplies as required by law. Equipment to be excluded would include that used in the support of programs such as inter-scholastic sports, intramurals, music, art, library and audio visual as well as for student desks and chairs and equipment used to clean and maintain the district’s buildings and grounds.
A second proposition seeks authorization to expend funds in conjunction with a one-time grant in aid as part of the State’s Expanding our Children’s Education and Learning (EXCEL) Program. Under this program, our district is entitled to receive nearly $4 million. This money can be used to fund capital construction projects that meet specified criteria within eligible project categories that address education technology, health & safety, accessibility, physical capacity/school expansion or energy conservation.
Combined with our current building aid entitlement, we would be able to complete approximately $10.2 million in capital projects at an estimated net local cost of only $260,000. This amount does not reflect any savings that might accrue as a result of efficiencies realized through the bidding process, energy paybacks or operational improvements.
The financing associated with the borrowing for our local cost share would be for a period of 15 years. The estimated annual cost for a taxpayer with a home assessed for $250,000 would be $1.30 and $2.60 for a home assessed at $500,000. Said another way, this cost would equate to the price of a newspaper and a cup of coffee, one day a year for each of 15 years.
As a third proposition, the District is seeking funding authorization, as has been our annual practice, to continue our bus replacement program. For next year, we are looking to replace 21 of our transportation fleet’s 245 vehicles. The total not to exceed purchase price would be $1,577,125. The net annual cost, after applying our estimated state aid entitlement, would be $176,400 which would be financed over a five-year period.
I encourage you to further familiarize
yourself with the details of these propositions by visiting the
district’s webpage: www.wappingersschools.org or by addressing
your questions via e-mail to:
WCSD.Board@www.wappingersschools.org
Please cast an informed vote on May 15th.
Regards,
Richard A. Powell
Superintendent of Schools