Hewlett-Woodmere Schools to Seek 3.45% Increase in Tax Levy

Members of the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education said Wednesday that they will seek a tax levy increase of 3.45 percent — the maximum allowed without the need for a supermajority vote — to avoid eating up the district’s reserves.

“The issue we have is that we’re running every year with a negative balance. We’re running into our savings account,” said board member Cheryl May. “If we don’t take advantage of this opportunity, we can face awful things next year.”

The board Wednesday unanimously approved a proposed $109,647,534 budget that restores previously proposed cuts to the district adult education program and the eighth grade Discovery lab, which students and parents protested. It also restores the equivalent of a 0.86 aide at Franklin Early Childhood Center, a teacher’s assistant at Ogden Elementary School and a clerical staff member at Hewlett Elementary School.

The board also voted to offer CPR to some high school students for a cost of $10,000 and another $10,000 for the purpose of producing the calendar.

The restorations came after the district received additional state aid, the announcements of two retirements and an update about how much it can increase taxes, according to officials.

The 3.45 percent increase to the tax levy only requires a simple 50 percent majority (under the state’s tax cap law) at the May 21 vote on the 2013-14 budget.

“It’s the number that comes closest to making us whole,” said Dr. Peter Weber, assistant superintendent of business, about the 3.45 percent increase. “It helps make up for what the state requires us to pay that the former levy didn’t. Raising the levy higher brings us closer to the zero point.”

Mitchell Greebel, co-president of Central Council PTA and a candidate for school board, told the board they’d be “remiss” to not seek the biggest increase to the levy.

“It’s a fight we need to undertake,” he said. “We can’t afford to leave money on the table.”