Michael Fabiano, assistant superintendent for business in the Floral Park-Bellerose school district, provided an update Monday night to the Board of Education on the projected $35.7 million budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
The budget is 4.5 percent higher than the current year. The district did not specify how much the tax levy would rise but said it would be less than the 2.91 percent state tax cap.
Fabiano broke down the tax cap, showing that 2 percent is a CPI Allowable Growth Factor, or cost-of-living adjustment. The remaining 0.91 percent is based on the district having more taxable property.
“That’s a reflection of some of the new homes and some of the new apartments that you’ve seen in the district,” Fabiano said.
Fabiano said that the state tax cap number is comparable to Sewanhaka’s and when final numbers are disclosed they will tell residents what the blended tax rate is. According to Fabiano, in the school tax bill 45 cents on the dollar goes to Floral Park-Bellerose and 55 goes to Sewanhaka.
Further changes to the budget can be made at additional meetings before a final budget vote is held on April 11. According to the district calendar, the next strategic planning committee meeting will be on Tuesday.
Fabiano said it is always a goal with new budget proposals to maintain class sizes in the lower 20’s, and he said recent expansions in the district alleviated concerns.
The district said a study of projected enrollment in kindergarten and pre-K next year concluded that there would be 27.2 students per class at Floral Park-Bellerose School and 26 at John Lewis Childs School. Principals in both schools have confirmed that there is additional classroom space to accommodate an influx and the projected budget calls for the hiring of four additional teachers.
The next meeting of the Floral Park-Bellerose Board of Education will be Monday, April 11.
