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Mamaroneck Schools Talk 2013-14 Budget Before Vote

MAMARONECK, N.Y. – Less than one week before the community votes, the Mamaroneck School District will hold two meetings Wednesday on the proposed 2013-14 budget at the Nautalis Diner.

Dr. Robert Shaps is the superintendent of Mamaroneck schools.

Dr. Robert Shaps is the superintendent of Mamaroneck schools.

Photo Credit: Brian Donnelly
by Brian Donnelly

The $128.2 million budget proposal, adopted April 16 by the Board of Education, would increase spending 3.16 percent and the tax rate 3.42 percent to $811.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The adopted budget complies with the state-mandated tax levy cap.

The public will vote on the budget May 21. There are also two board seats up for election. The candidates are incumbent Nancy Pierson, board president, and newcomer James Needham. Both are running uncontested. Pierson will seek a third term and her second as board president. Needham has a background in private equity investing.

Before then, Superintendent of Schools Robert Shaps will hold community budget meetings at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. He will continue to discuss the budget, which:

  • Saves $1.1 million in salary costs thanks to a new teachers’ contract that freezes salaries for two years;
  • Fully restores Hommocks grade-level team structure by making all academic teachers full time;
  • Launches cost-neutral pilot dual-language kindergarten program at one elementary school;
  • Reduces 13.7 full-time equivalent positions through attrition and reassignments;
  • Creates new special education class at the elementary level to return and keep students in district rather than paying more to send them away from their home schools; and
  • Makes $125,000 investment to enable the district to lease tablets to all eighth- and ninth-graders, expanding on existing initiatives and equipment piloted through Mamaroneck Schools Foundation grants.

The budget must be passed May 21 by a majority vote of Mamaroneck voters. If the budget fails, the board may resubmit the original budget or a revised one for a June 18 vote or adopt a contingency budget that has no tax levy increase from the previous year. If a second vote fails, the board must adopt a budget with no tax levy increase from 2012-13. This would force the school district to reduce its proposed 2013-2014 budget by $3.4 million.

The Nautilus Diner is on 1240 W. Boston Post Road. 

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