Scarsdale 10583

$1.5 Million. That’s the estimated shortfall in the 2012-13 Scarsdale School budget if Scarsdale complies with the New York State 2% tax cap. $1.5 Million, you may shrug. Surely they can cut here and there to get to that figure. It’s practically a rounding error when it comes to a $134 million budget for the school district. (I’d search which countries have smaller GDP’s, but Wikipedia is down today. Thanks, SOPA).

When you listen to residents’ comments about how cuts in the budget this year have already affected their children’s education, it’s starting to look like every dollar counts.

That was a big theme at Wednesday’s Board of Education Community Budget Forum. Individually each grievance expressed at the meeting may have been a frustration or a set back for the student or family involved, but taken as a whole, it’s a troubling trend that will likely get worse if there isn’t a tax cap override.

The Scarsdale School District has cut 13.2 teaching positions since 2008 from attrition and has not replaced staff. These eliminations were across the board at all of the schools -- but the High School has felt it the most.

This is the case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. Last year parents of elementary school children came out in droves to oppose increasing class sizes. So, the high school, where parents were perhaps not as vocal, bore the brunt of the reductions.

Several parents at Wednesday’s meeting lamented that class sizes in the high school are getting out of hand. They talk of not enough desks for the kids in certain electives forcing students to sit on the windowsills during class. One mother said her child got shut out of AT Physics. The parents blamed these problems on the district’s failure to replace retiring teachers. “We shouldn’t be applauding that we were able to save all this money from attrition,” said one woman, “it’s coming at a cost to our childrens’ education.” Dr. McGill said he was going to look into the matter of the AT class to determine whether it was closed due to the limited number of teachers or for another reason. But the feeling was that it was due to the teacher losses.

Therein lies the essential argument either for or against the tax cap override. Since $1.5 million is relatively low compared to the initial estimated $8 million gap, a resident may figure these are problems we can learn to live with. As one resident at the meeting said, the tax cap can provide some discipline to our budget process and spur some serious discussions about teacher pay.

While he was in the clear minority in the room on Wednesday, he may speak for many others in town.

Alternatively, it becomes a death by a thousand cuts. Larger classes, students shut out of advanced courses, the loss of music programs or FLES, and so on.

There will be a lot of complaining and frustration but life will continue. But that’s 2012.

And the tax cap isn’t a one-time thing. The loss will be compounded. We are down just over 1% if the override doesn’t pass this year but that can be 2-3% the following year and so on until it snowballs into something much larger.

There was a lot of preaching to the choir on Wednesday morning. Many who attended were involved in the PTA or other organizations that support the schools. If the budget vote (which is slated for Tuesday May 15th) happened in that room on Wednesday, the override would win by a landslide. It’s unclear if the larger community feels the same way. Most people move to Scarsdale for the schools. The district’s commitment to excellence and the statistics that McGill and the Board present are nothing short of remarkable. Even with this high tax rate the numbers are extraordinary. 99% of last year’s graduating class went on to 4-year colleges, 62% of which were rated “most competitive.” That puts Scarsdale in the top fraction of 1% of schools in the nation. The teachers are clearly doing their job and doing it well.

Still, these are tough times and living within our means isn’t just a platitude it’s a necessity. Governor Andrew Cuomo has been vilified at these meetings for bringing about this ‘draconian’ tax cap plan. I think that Cuomo may have thrown the baby out with the bath water with this bill, but he has done a lot of good for the state. I know I’m in an ever shrinking minority today, but I’d like to think I can have a different opinion from someone without thinking they are evil or an idiot. I know, I’m nuts.

I see the point of having stricter discipline when it comes to school spending, but if you look at how the board lays out its case for where the money goes, any more cuts and your kids will start to feel it and will continue to. With very young children, and one who hasn’t even started school, that gives me a sinking feeling.

Many of the people at the meeting on Wednesday are pretty plugged in to what’s happening in Scarsdale and in the schools. Others in town, due to work, or their life stage or by choice are decidedly less informed. That’s fine.

If you want to know more about what’s at stake, check out the district’s plans and educational approach on its website Even if you don’t have children in the schools you will not only be impressed but likely proud of where you live. Scarsdale is a unique town. The schools are truly superb. Even if you don’t agree with a tax-cap override, read up on what the schools are doing and are planning. At least you won’t wave your hand and say, bah, they take enough of my money. You’ll see where the money is going. It may not change your mind, but hopefully it will.

Jen is a freelance journalist who has covered the economy and markets for over a decade at a major financial news outlet. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband and 2 children. Jen has yet to bake a successful batch of cookies.

(Photo credit top: Nan Berke)

Comments (19)

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written by Jeff B, January 27, 2012

I don't know the link. It is publicly available and may be posted somewhere, but I am a little out of the current loop. Just write to the board of Ed email or call the district press officer and ask for how to find the info and you will get a response.

As to $125 co-pays, I think they are more like $12,500, like homo economicus' co-pays

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written by Homo Economicus, January 26, 2012

What are the "substantial" co-pays? Are they $35 or $50 or $125/visit?

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written by A Neighbor, January 26, 2012

Jeff B: Thank you for providing the information on the copay aspect of the teacher's contract. Can you please provide a link to the current teachers' contract's other provisions? Those of us in the community that are not on the board are at a serious disadvantage when trying to form an intelligent opinion on whether the teachers are justly compensated, as we don't have this information (that we know of).

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written by Jeff B, January 26, 2012

"Had Enough", you should try to get your facts straight. I guess when one writes anonymously, there isn't really a need to be factually accurate because there is no public embarrassment when someone corrects you.

That said, I will correct you nonetheless. The teachers have very substantial co-pays on health care expenses. The board chose this approach (and the teacher's union accepted the proposal, to their credit) as opposed to a percent of pay plus low co-pay approach because high co-pays provide incentive to think carefully about whether you need to go to the doctor. We also did a study comparing total out of pocket for our staff on health care vs total out of pocket in other districts. The comparison placed us squarely in the middle of the study. So, you really, truely, have no idea what you are talking about.

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written by Mike from Heathcote, January 24, 2012

Large class sizes at the high school is a big problem. Here is how to solve it without spending any more money. HAVE THE TEACHERS TEACH MORE THAN 3 CLASSES PER DAY. If every teacher taught 5 classes a day like every high school everywhere else, we could shrink the class sizes down. This is a seceret the administration does not want you to know. Think of all the money that could be saved and not one more teacher has to hired.

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written by Reality Check, January 24, 2012

Homo Economicus - Am I supposed to feel bad for the poor impoverished people that have an income of over $500K just lost their pettily STAR exemption? If someone makes over $500K a year and can't afford a $500 to $1K increase in taxes (that amount is adjusted for potential increases due to grievances, etc.) then they have a spending and budgeting issue. Maybe they should downsize from 6 bedrooms to 5 and save $15K in taxes or drop the country club membership or ski at Killington instead of Vail?

Also, the school budget and the village budget for that matter, should be created based upon what is required to adequately run the schools and village (based upon what the community and the values of the community deem as adequate) and should not be pegged to some figure from Albany. The school board members have been selected by members of the community (within the confines of our controversial system) and the budget they put forth will be voted upon, so let the community decide.

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written by Homo Economicus, January 24, 2012

Reality Check -- It's time for another reality check. Even if the new budget comes in at the tax cap level of a 2.1% increase in the tax levy, Scarsdale residents will find that their school property taxes increase by more than 4%. This happened last year when there was a 2.75% increase in the budget which translated into an increase in Scarsdale residents' school property taxes by 4.81%. The reasons for this, among other things, are the declining values of assessed property in Scarsdale, coupled with successful property tax grievances. This past grievance season, 550 taxpayers have sought reductions to their property taxes,and the success rate for such filings historically has been in the 90 percent range. So Reality Check, your math is off quite a bit. Even if the District stays within the tax cap, residents will face another large increase in their school property tax bills -- amounting to probably more than $1000 for the median valued property. If we exceed the tax cap, our school property taxes will increase even higher. And don't forget, the STAR property tax reduction, which applies against the school property tax, has been eliminated for anyone whose income exceeds $500K.

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written by Reality Check, January 24, 2012

The reality is that there is a long history of this community overwhelmingly supporting the budget proposed by the school board. The budget has exceeded the 60% vote margin in each of the past ten years. Why should the approach that the school board takes this year be any different? They should take the same measured approach they have taken for the past several years of balancing the need to be fiscally conservative (ie - only judiciously replaceing retiring teachers, delaying/cancelling capital improvement projects, etc.) with the need to fund the core programs that make our schools special (both academic and extra-curricular). If that budget falls over the arbitrary line that Albany developed, so be it. We don't need Albany's help telling us how to allocate our local tax dollars. The community will decide in May. If the school board takes that same balanced approach, I am cofident that the budget will gain the required 60% vote that it has EVERY year for the past ten years.

Finally, let's quantify what we are talking about here. Assuming the tax levy does come in at $1.5MM over the cap, that equates to $250 per household. That seems like a very small amount of money to pay in incremental taxes to fund key programs that differentiate our schools and support our higher property values.

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written by Fiscal Discipline, January 24, 2012

I agree with many of the comments. This "article" should be marked as an Op-Ed. There is no objectivity in what has been written. Second - fully agree with the need for the many of us to be more vocal. It is unfortunately a slippery slope, as many feel bullied to speak up (as teachers and administration can retaliate against the kids of the major naysayers). It is far easier to side with the administration and be chummy/chummy with the teachers/administration.

I think it will all come down to the vote - good luck getting 60% of the community out to vote YES to break the cap. The Administration needs to figure out the task of keeping a great school system "great" without breaking through budgets (and maybe the union can take some pain on healthcare, pension and salary raises). Why is this such a hard concept? We all have to live within a budget. The SCC died a slow death (though it gets resurrected every 1-2 years) as they too knew deep down to get the majority of the community to come out and vote yes in a referendum to support a $30+mm project would have zero chance of happening. We live in different world than pre-2008, and we'd better start getting some fiscal discipline and live within our means.

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written by Homo Economicus, January 23, 2012

Quaker Ridge Bobby -- we need people like you to speak out at Board budget meetings to let the Board and Administration know publicly that a substantial percentage of taxpayers believe that fiscal restraint is necessary, that the tax burden is already too high, and that the proposed budget should come in within the tax cap. Instead, the speaker rosters at these public meetings are the usual suspects like the PTAs and the Friends of Whatever who urge that no cuts to anything be made and that we need to fund, fund, fund in order to preserve educational quality, lest the entire Scarsdale model collapse. I applaud these groups for their lobbying -- at least they get involved in the process. But unless others in the community speak for fiscal discipline, the Board and Administration will continue their profligacy and claim community support.

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written by Quaker Ridge Bobby, January 23, 2012

Dear Concerned Citizen: Let me try and help you understand my thoughts. First every year the Board tells us they need a certain amount of additional money only to find as the process continues that they need less. Most recently they discovered salary and other savings they were not previoulsy aware of to dramatically reduce the $8 million dollar gap.

Tutoring has nothing to do with the budget. But we should recognize that the amount of educational support all of us give our children, including tutoring is a significant factor in the success of our chidlren's education. The members of our community our able to intellectually and financially support the education of our children, Part of it is the willingness to pay higher taxes, but part of it is also the ability to fund tutoring and home assist our children.

I have been at "coffee with the principal" where John Klemme spoke wonders about the A/T program's success on the A/P test results only to have parents tell him every student gets private A/P tutoring and they believe that is why the results are so good. Mr. Klemme could not and did not argue with the logic of the parents.

I have always stated we all live here in part because of the quality education. However we also need to recongize that we the parents help make the District look good by our willingness and ability to pay high taxes along with all the personal supports we are able to give our children,. We should not think that the only reason our children do well is soley because of the ability of the District to collect ever greater taxes. Just like we do in our homes and businesses the Board needs to be as efficient as possible.

I hope this helps everyone better understand the message I have been trying to communicate.

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written by Concerned Citizen, January 22, 2012

@ QR Bobby: The board "found" this money because Albany only recently had made clear what mandates they were and were not going to pay for. Do you REALLY think there is some conspiracy being perpetrated by Administration? Scare tactics? Every time I've heard Dr. McGill speak, and every time I've read the dossiers on Scarsdale's district plans and educational approaches, I've been nothing but thoroughly impressed.
As for your other paragraph about tutoring, I can't say that I really understand what point you are trying to make. It seems as though you are trying to connect the willingness of Scarsdale residents to pay for tutoring to the budget somehow, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how.

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written by Quaker Ridge Bobby, January 21, 2012

I am continually amazed at how some are so comfortable with our District paying the most and so afraid of our District trying to be more efficient with our money. Every year the District's Board challenges the taxpayers by saying if we do not pay more the quality of the education will be jepardized. Every year they seem to find money to lower the amount ot the tax increase so the community relaxes and goes along with paying less more than they originally thought. How come each year the Board suddenly finds this extra money?

How many readers of this article and website pay for tutoring of their children or know of other families that pay for tutoring of their children? I know a great deal of families that pay for tutoring. It is common knowledge that many of us have to do this or at least believe we must. As I have said before the primary reason the District does so well is because we the parents are extremely focused on supporting our children's education. I know of a math tutor who teaches in a neighboring community who is thrilled that Scarsdale does not teach to the college testing because he has a huge waiting list of clients. He gets calls all the time from worried parents frantic that their kids are not learning for the test. Maybe the Board likes this idea however the parents not only pay taxes but tutors to get the result they brag about

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written by A Neighbor, January 21, 2012

Halting the increase in salary and benefits is certainly 'legal', provided it is done in one of several ways. For example, when the next contract is negotiated, it could be written into the contract that there will be no salary increases, and that teachers and staff would pay for any increase in other costs (pension, healthcare, MTA like taxes..). Some will wail that we will lose talent to other districts, to which I reply, Show me one district that pays more than Scarsdale. List all the teachers that have decamped for better pay in other districts. Show me one district that has increased staff, pay (in a new contract) over the last several years. The 'our teachers will all leave unless we up their pay' is a non crisis. If it this were actually happening we would have examples aplenty. One might wonder if the 'our teachers are leaving' is an urban myth, much like the 'if we don't pay our bank CEOs 17 Million Dollars, they will leave' myth. As a community we need to call nonsense on this non-crisis. Worry not, property values won't go down if our teachers don't get 3% raises every year, they will go down because no one wanting to buy into Scarsdale can afford the property taxes.

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written by We pay for quality, January 20, 2012

We have a great school system because we pay our teachers and administrators very well. This really comes down to competition for talent. The problem is that the salary ratchet continues to function for public sector employees regardless of how the private sector fails. Essentially 100% of the costs for education are salary, which means there are two choices. Halt the increase in salary / benefits during off years (not even sure if this is 'legal') and risk falling behind districts that don't or cut staff and have larger class size / drop certain classes but keep the best talent.

I don't mind paying top dollar for education - that's why I live here, and the reason why Scarsdale is such a nice community is that it is filled with people who are willing to pay top dollar for education. If you tamper too much with this Scarsdale will lose its identity.

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written by Homo Economicus, January 19, 2012

I was the lone speaker yesterday at the Community Budget Meeting urging the Administration and the Board to stay within the tax cap for the forthcoming school budget. While the tax cap law may have its flaws, it acts as a serious constraint, finally imposing financial discipline which has been sorely lacking in municipal and school budgets statewide -- and indeed, in Scarsdale as well. (In the nine years I have lived in Scarsdale, my property taxes have surged by over 50%, despite historically low inflation and the financial crisis.) In her November 2011 presentation on the tax cap, Asst. Supt. Purvis warned that the budget gap using a "roll-over" budget from this year's to next year's school budget would possibly be a doomsday $8 million which would destroy Scarsdale's educational system as we know it. Somehow -- and fortunately -- a mere month and one half later, that gap is now projected by Ms. Purvis to be a far more manageable $1.5 million. I suggested at yesterday's meeting that this $1.5 million gap can be eliminated simply by utilizing some of the massive reserve balance which this Administration and Board maintain at the maximum percentage allowed under State law. Reserves are meant to be used in trying economic times -- and these are indeed such times. By drawing down the reserves, no educational programs have to be cut. No staff would have to be eliminated. Thus, a budget can be put forth to the voters that meets the tax cap -- which still would raise the tax levy slightly in excess of 2% -- but would not require the 60% voter approval necessary for an override. Taxpayers should be aware that even if the tax cap is adhered to, our school property tax rate in Scarsdale will likely increase by over 4% for next year due to the continuing drop in property values and successful tax grievances. Since school property taxes account for about 2/3 of our total property taxes -- which are among the very highest in the entire country -- it really is not too much to ask of our Administration and Board to do whatever they can to stay within the tax cap this year. Moreover, the 60% vote needed to override the tax cap should not be considered a "slam dunk," even though historically budgets have passed with a greater percentage of voter approval. Many taxpayers in Scarsdale feel that they are already paying too much in property taxes, property values in Scarsdale have, at best, stabilized, and 50 percent of households have no children in the schools. Should an "override" budget fail twice, the consequences are harsh -- the District cannot increase the tax levy year-over-year at all. The risk of not obtaining super-majority approval should not be taken this year, especially when it is not necessary to tempt fate.

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written by Tired of bringing this up..., January 19, 2012

I ask again, what are we doing about the non-resident students in the school? I am not referring to children of staff. More than one family is using this district without residing here seemingly with the blessing of the district and school board...

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written by Had Enough, January 19, 2012

This should have been labeled as Op Ed, rather than an article. A bit more balance on the issue would be greatly appreciated. As a parent with 2 kids in the High School, I too am concerned about lowering the high standard of the education our kids receive. Having said that, the relentless increase in the property taxes must stop. it is simply not sustainable. I have not seen or heard from my kids or others any indication that there has been a material impact on their education. We should not be panicing over this. Obviously there will be some kids/parents that don't get everything they want, but that is far from saying that this is a death by a thousand cuts. A 2% increase every year is still a quite healthy increase when the inflation rate is next to zero and there are savings that can be wrung from a more disciplined approach to dealing with contracts with the teachers (e.g., paying for healthcare costs like the rest of us).

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written by concerned parent, January 19, 2012

The impact on the High School is significant. Last year my daughter didn't have a desk in her Biology class since there were so many students. As we are attempting to select courses for the next school year, science electives that are in this years course catalog are not being offered next year. My daughter is having trouble finding electives that she can take.

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