The Levittown Property Owners Association met on April 8, 2008 with President Jim Morrow presiding. For the second consecutive month our guest speaker was Levittown Schools Superintendent Dr. Herman A. Sirois. Dr. Sirois opened his remarks by again saying "I apologize for past errors in the schools' budget while on my watch: there will be closer supervision and we've taken measures so that errors won't occur again."

Sirois distribued a three-page explanation and analysis of how past errors occurred in the 2006-2007 budget ($2.6 million was omitted from the budget) and 2007-2008 budget ($7 million was omitted), what steps were taken to correct these errors, and how (or if) the errors would affect taxes. The 16-question format with supplied answers clarifies the situation. These included: the district's five-year budget plans allowed contingency "reserve funds" to be used in correcting the errors; the errors would not produce a tax increase, nor would they cause teachers to be laid off; the single administrator responsible for the errors is no longer employed by the district. The superintendent assured us the closer and more frequent supervision measures taken will prevent errors occurring in the future.

The superintendent then discussed the budget for 2008-2009 adopted by the school board to be voted on May 20. He thinks it's "a good budget" but still "has concerns." He also distributed a one-page description of a "Proposed Renewed Five Year Budget Plan (2008-2013)" and a "Recommended 2008-2009 Contingency Budget (2008-2013)." Both he and the board anticipate an increase in state aid (not yet confirmed). The guidelines stipulate no tax increase above 7 percent, and Sirois stated our school taxes continue to be below the county average. The proposed 2008-2009 budget shows the tax increase at 3.58 percent although Sirois said this may "shift."

There followed several exchanges and questions between Dr. Sirois and members on teachers' contracts, class sizes, the "under-budgeted omissions of teachers' salaries in the erroneous budgets," the waste in "small things" such as outdoor lights left burning in daytime hours at buildings and athletic fields, etc. Dr. Sirois' two visits with the LPOA members provided detailed, specific information on what is happening in the budget-making process by the administration, the school board, and the Citizens Advisory Board which put in long hours to serve Levittown's schools. President Morrow stated we owe our thanks to these Levittowners.

President Morrow concluded the meeting with brief comments about the "green Levittown" activities now under way. He also noted that Levittown, a "planned community," is probably better known than any other on Long Island. However, someone always brings up the deplorable ("filthy") conditions of the county sumps. Others mentioned various ways the "green" ideas could benefit the community.

We agreed to invite the candidates for the school boards of Levittown and Island Trees to the next meeting on May 13.