Voting on the Hicksville School District's proposed 2006-2007 spending plan will take place on May 16. At this time, voters will have the opportunity to vote for or against three propositions.

Proposition #1, which is broken down into six components, pertains to the district's $98,150,952 spending plan, a proposed budget-to-budget increase of 7.33 percent or $6,704,471 over the current year's spending plan of $91,446,481.

Costs allotted in Proposition #1 are broken down as follows: The General Support category includes monies for the district's overall administration, including appropriations for the school board, central administration and the operation and general maintenance of buildings. For 2006-2007, the General Support category accounts for $12,210,307, a $688,108 increase over the current year. The Instruction Support section addresses what the district calls its "major function" instructional programs as well as the salaries of principals, supervisors, teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, librarians, health service personnel, teaching assistants, and clerical workers and aides. Also included in this section are the costs for instructional supplies, textbooks, district handicapped programs and tuition for BOCES and private schools, guidance, libraries and occupational education. For 2006-2007, the Instruction Support section accounts for $56,445,363, an increase of $3,831,735 over this year's total. The Hicksville School District provides transportation for approximately 4,400 students to public and non-public schools in and out of the district as well as for handicapped students and vocational students who attend special schools outside the district. Also included are costs associated with interscholastic sports trips and academic field trips. The Pupil Transportation category of the 2006-2007 budget accounts for $6,208,176, an increase of $1,148,008 over the current year's spending. Funding in the Community Services section of the budget accounts for the census the district distributes and tabulates for the residents of the district as well as for senior citizen services. Additionally, $50,000 allotted in this area goes towards Proposition #3 (see below) and the Gregory Museum. If Proposition #3 passes, the Community Service section of the budget will account for $129,500, an increase of $3,246 over the current year's spending. This category encompasses all the recreational services funded by the school district, including summer and after-school recreation and youth programs. For 2006-2007, the Recreational Program section of the budget has increased by $19,169 to $217,504. The Undistributed and Other Debt section includes payment of employee benefits such as retirement, Social Security, health insurance and unemployment insurance, along with interest on borrowing. For the 2006-2007 school year, this area of the budget accounts for $22,990,102, a $1,064,025 increase over the current year's total.

Of the budget's total cost, school officials estimate that 10.23 percent or approximately $10,038,530 would be offset by state aid. As a result, the remainder will be offset by taxes and with the average home in the Hicksville School District assessed at $982 or 0.25 percent (as opposed to 0.50 percent or $1,673 for the current year), an average Class 1 homeowner's tax bill will be approximately $3,866. The 7.33 percent budget-to-budget increase represents an additional $224 over the current year's average tax bill of $3,642. Based on Nassau County's 2005-2006 tax rates, Hicksville is ranked 42nd lowest out of 52 school districts.

The change in assessment is a result of Nassau County's reassessment of properties to capture in the increase in current market values of homes on Long Island as part of the Nassau County Reassessment Project. The estimated tax rate is subject to adjustments due to finalization of assessed value date and calculation of adjusted base proportions; final tax rates will be set by Nassau County.

Proposition #2 asks voters to establish a capital reserve fund, not to exceed $1.3 million, for a probable term of three years. The monies will go toward masonry repairs at the Fork Lane School, concrete site work at Dutch Lane and Lee Avenue, flooring and seating replacement for the Middle School auditorium and roof, classroom ceiling, lighting and interior door replacement at district-wide locations as well as architect and project management fees.

If approved, capital projects shall be funded by transferring $1.3 million of unexpended surplus for the 2005-2006 school year to the fund, incurring no additional costs to the taxpayer in the 2006-2007 school year; and expending the maximum amount of $1.3 million for the specific aforementioned projects including other related and incidental work starting in the 2006-2007 school year.

Please note: Proposition #2 is contingent upon voter approval of Proposition #1. Should Proposition #2 in and of itself be denied by voters, the monies will be applied to the Employee Liability Reserve Fund.

As in previous years, voters will be asked to approve the allocation of $50,000 to the Hicksville Gregory Museum for educational services associated with its programs. Listed as Proposition #3, this represents $2 and change from each family per year, well under the $5 admission fee charged to non-Hicksville residents for just one adult visit to the museum. Voting on the proposed 2006-2007 budget and election of school board trustees will take place on Tuesday, May 16 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Burns Avenue, Dutch Lane, East Street, Fork Lane, Lee Avenue, Old Country Road and Woodland Schools. To be eligible to vote, you must be 18 years of age or older, a United States citizen and reside in the district for more than 30 days prior to the vote. Applications for absentee ballots may be obtained at the district clerk's office, 200 Division Avenue, any school day between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Completed applications must be received by the district clerk at least seven days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter. All absentee ballots must be returned to the district office no later than 5 p.m. on the day of the vote. Absentee ballots will be issued for those reasons stated in Education Law Section 2018-A. This year, two seats on the Hicksville Board of Education are up for grabs with both candidates running unopposed for three-year terms. Anthony J. Edelman is seeking election to the seat being vacated by Gus Costa. This seat will run from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2009. Joanne Owens, who was appointed to the board last summer when Pat Love resigned, is also running unopposed. This seat will commence May 16, 2006 (to fill the remaining time on Love's term) and end June 30, 2009.