At the Manhasset School District Board of Education (BOE) meeting on Jan. 8, the Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance rendered a courageous report stating, "Continued growth in total compensation coupled with student population growth and bond-financing costs will result in double-digit annual increases in the district's budget. We feel that the community will not support annual increases of this magnitude."

I attended the open meeting at the request of one of the board members. The BOE meeting was quite civil and the board very cordial. All know that there is a cost problem. As the report stated, "MSD per pupil costs are indeed the highest in Nassau County," are projected to increase significantly, and the community is fed up. Recently, two budgets were voted down with little organized opposition.

The report compared costs for MDS and a peer group of 12 other districts which ranged from a low of $16,419 to MDS at $22,793 per student in '03-'04. MDS was $2,840 per student above the average and over $6,000 above the Nassau median. This excess is as follows:

	Excess Per Student	Excess $ by Category
Special education	$660	$1.8 million
Regular instruction	545	1.5
Computer aids	479	1.3
Transportation	364	1.0
Curriculum development	153	.4
Personnel	137	.4
Facility operations & maint	117	.3
Health services	125	.3
Other (each less than $100)	260	.7
Total Excesses	$2,840	$7.8 million
		(12.5 percent of the budget)

MDS is excessive in every category over $100. Payroll and benefits is the largest item. There are too many people at too high a cost per person. Surprisingly, nobody would say what the average salary of a teacher is. At Port Washington the average salary for this 9 1/2 month job is $82,153 and for custodians/maintenance it's $62,140. MDS per pupil costs are 15 percent higher. High salaries were blamed on seniority caused by tenure, but tenure is a universal problem. Someone else who seemed knowledgeable said that there are many salary extras that drive up costs. Benefits include health insurance for 279 retirees at about $7,000 each per year.

The CAC report did not compare results for these excesses. Comparisons that I have seen show other districts spend considerably less while their youngsters do better in English, math and SAT scores. All our peers get better educational value for each dollar spent. While the board was composed of nice people with good hearts, I do not believe they can make the tough choices needed to eliminate the excesses and bring us back in line economically with other top educating districts. At one point the board considered more meetings to "educate" the public to the needs for this money. What is needed to eliminate these excesses is a large group of taxpayers prepared to say no until the excesses are eliminated. MDS cannot afford raises in the next contract or to keep the excess numbers of people.

A group of 42 angry taxpayers formed MSICAC (Manhasset Schools Independent Cost Analysis Committee) at its inaugural meeting at Edison's. Anyone interested in hearing more or being a voter against excesses and those that let it continue in MDS just e-mail to MSICAC@YAHOO.COM. It will keep you informed.

William J. Downey

Member, MSICAC

PS: We should all thank Larry Belinsky and the many members of CAC-Finance who worked many hours for free to produce this courageous and insightful report.