In Ellenville, where the board of education has held three budget workshops so far, it appears at the moment that the budget itself will increase by $2,134,922 to $44,241,977, a budget increase of 5.07 percent or an increase in the tax levy of $22,268,574, or 4.42 percent.

This year's tax levy was 2.49 percent higher than the year before. Complicated formulas used to determine the tax levy percentage found that last year's percentage still met the mandated tax cap of 2 percent. Suffice it to say everyone agreed more work had to be done before budgets, and board candidates, go before the public for voting on May 21.

In Pine Bush, it was noted that the district will discontinue elementary summer school and after school remediation in the middle schools because of limited funding. In addition 5.5 teaching positions may be cut, through attrition and retirements. French will no longer be taught in the high school, leaving only Spanish for foreign language instruction. Moreover, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Deborha Brush walked the board through the budgeting process, noting that at present next year's budget will have projected revenue of $102,628,055with $44,976,951 of this coming from state aid, leaving local property taxes to contribute $53,289,504.... not counting $1,362,600 in 'other' revenues, and $2,999,000 from the district's appropriated fund balance.

Brush noted that this was a 1.3 percent increase on last year, and would require a 2.99 percent increase in the tax warrant. She concluded with a warning that the budget for 2014-15, is shaping up to require almost $5 million from the unappropriated fund balance, leaving a bare million there for emergencies.

David O'Halloran, chairman of Rondout Valley's budget committee, projected that a 2 percent increase over this year's tax levy would result in a budget of roughly $57.3 million and a loss of 13.4 positions there. However, the complex formula used to calculate the tax levy cap yields an increase in the amount to be raised by taxes in Rondout Valley of as much as 3.9 percent, after the various exemptions are factored in, and some board and audience members wanted to see what a bigger spending plan would look like.

"There is a public perception that the tax cap is two percent," O'Halloran said. Offering a budget with a larger increase could face voter backlash, he pointed out. Many of the cuts proposed are in response to declining enrollment, "not because we can't afford them."

In all three districts, major decisions loomed over the coming months as boards struggle to make ends meet in light of lowering contributions from state and federal government, but no dents in mandated programs and their expenditures.

The district-wide audio-visual budget is expected to be $9,500.00, a 5.56 percent rise from this year. An additional $16,000 will be spent on software, which will raise the computer-assisted instruction budget line to $108,510.00 or 17.30 percent more than this year. Educational TV and radio is expected to stay the same, at $21,265.00. Operations and maintenance of buildings and grounds will rise: the proposed budget is $7,453,299, a 1 percent increase over this year.

The total transportation budget proposal is $3,524,341, up 8 percent from this year. Bus runs, including regular runs, special education runs, and late runs, will increase to $3,258,341. No change is predicted for other contractual costs (fuel, bus repair, consulting, etc.), which this year total $266,000.

The BOCES special education budget has not been reviewed yet; however, the total BOCES budget for non-special education for next year is up 4.4 percent to $1,999,142.

Administrative costs are all over the map for next year, according to preliminary estimates. BOCES took over policy and research costs for the Board of Education, thus reducing that part of the budget 15 percent, to $17,000. The administrative costs for the Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum Matthew Latvis may jump 49 percent, to about $6,000. The budget for elementary assemblies may be eliminated if estimates ring true: $1,000 is predicted to be cut for that budget line. In total, administrative costs will dip by 0.29 percent, as of now, to $716,087.

The high school budget, according to preliminary estimates, may drop by 0.34 percent; reductions are expected in music and AIS. The middle school budget is expected to rise by 0.12 percent. The total Elementary School budget, according to estimates, will see a.66 percent jump due to the fifth grade moving into the elementary school this year.

The district initiated a five year plan to improve and update computer technology back in 2003. Board member Roseanne Sullivan made the comment that, "at that time that we knew we were way behind and we wanted to catch up." However, after 2008, budget tightening led to reductions and then a freeze on all computer purchases for two years.

Education Technology Director John Hicks explained that the district has since moved ahead wherever possible and is one of the first in Orange County to have wireless internet capacity in every building, an essential component as New York State moves to a testing regime via the internet. In addition the district has installed new security systems, including cameras and a card swipe control on doors, and over the decade, the number of computers in the district has increased from 1,360 to 2,395. But, as Hicks admitted, the district's wireless internet connectivity is nowhere near the capacity required to allow every student to access the internet through an I-Pad or their smart phones.

Hicks explained that, at the same time, the Pine Bush district has many computers that are completely out of date. "The five year plan was conceived as a way of replacing all our computers over a five year period," he said. The abandonment of that plan has left a residue of very old machines. Hicks noted that his small staff, largely part time or shared with other departments, struggles to keep up with the district's needs. He suggested that some new hires would be essential as the district moves forward into the increasingly computer-dominated 21st century.

Sullivan expressed the dilemma for the district succinctly when she said, "The choice we are going to have to confront will be jobs or technology at some point."

Joan Carbone, who will be taking over as superintendent soon but is currently in charge of instruction for Pine Bush, later demonstrated how tight budgets are continuing to cut away at local education. She noted how, in 2009-10, the district had 477.3 teaching positions, while in 2013-14 that will have dropped to 415.5.

Several board members had concerns about the budget proposal O'Halloran put forth. Kent Anderson felt it was an "attack on program" in response to the district agreeing to excessive raises in past contracts. James Ayers was particularly concerned about the loss of aides in the elementary school libraries. Wayne Beckerman and Rebecca Versace both said that the spending plan was too tight. And board president Christopher Kelder summarized the board's feedback as, "Spend a little bit more, and don't cut any program."

O'Halloran and trustee James Blair both pointed out that the district is still reducing its size in response to reduced enrollment. O'Halloran also pointed out that the proposal on the table "would spend more money on fewer students."

"I disagree about what the voters might support," responded resident Kevin Cothren, indicating the mood leading up to voting in a couple of months. "$700,000 is a lot of money to leave on the table."

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