Tax rates likely unchanged in upcoming Sweet Home budget
GEOFFREY M. HICKS Superintendent Sweet Home Schools
Each April, the Sweet Home School Board adopts the proposed budget for the next school year, which is voted on by the community one month later.

School budget adoption is one of the most demanding jobs a board faces. The choices are difficult, and in the end it boils down to maintaining a balance between protecting the core programs of a school district and respecting the impact of local property tax increases on the community.

The balance is a delicate one, requiring the board and administration to see the big picture, to have a vision for the future and to keep priorities straight.

Planning for the 2008-09 budget began shortly after last year's budget was approved. The process of planning and designing the budget is complex, and there are many opportunities for gathering additional data, obtaining feedback, and revising the numbers.

The Sweet Home Board spends dozens of hours analyzing budget figures, listening to reports on programs and asking questions about efficiency and effectiveness. Anxiety regarding the overall tax burden on residents weighs heavily in the deliberation process, as does concern over maintaining core academic and extracurricular programs. In the end, spirited debate frames the critical issues, and the board works cooperatively to render decisions.

The process works exactly as it should, with elected representatives of the community making choices that will impact the entire community.

There were some significant challenges to face when crafting the budget. Increases in pension costs, health insurance and utilities made up the largest portion of the budget-to-budget spending increase. The state budget was not finalized at the time this column was written, but we are anticipating that some additional state aid will flow to Sweet Home, mitigating the increase in the overall tax levy.

Our governor and local state legislators, Sen. Mary Lou Rath and Assemblymen Jim Hayes and Robin Schimminger, are proposing that STAR tax rebate checks should be between $240 and $275 for the average home in the district.

The numbers on the 2008-09 Sweet Home school budget reflect a fiscally responsible spending plan that meets the objective of protecting the core programs that define our school district.

The board approved a budget increase of $2.2 million, which translates to a 3.79 percent increase over the current year's spending. By applying a conservative figure for increased state aid and assessment valuation, we estimate that tax rates will remain the same or decrease slightly, maintaining Sweet Home's status as the lowest full-value tax rate for Erie County homeowners.