The Plainedge Board of Education this week adopted a proposed year 2000-2001 budget of $40,890,373, to be voted upon by local taxpayers on May 16.

The plan represents a growth in spending of 7.5 percent over last year's $38 million dollar budget. The estimated property tax increase associated with the proposal is $5.33 per $100 of assessed value, bringing the tax rate to $70.654 per $100 of assessed value.

The spending increase funds additional instructional staff for the implementation of the nine-period day at the high school, accommodating increased enrollment, new textbooks and library books, staff development, curriculum writing, a testing program to help students meet new state learning standards, the continuation of a multi-year project to bring new technology into the schools, and the purchase of five new mini-buses for the district's fleet.

According to Alice Mateos, director of public information for Plainedge, the proposed budget, overall, makes possible several key programs.

"It's going to provide increased staff to help us handle the higher enrollments at the middle school and at the high school. It's going to allow us to offer extra courses at the high school through the nine-period day, to help students meet the higher graduation requirements," she said, adding, "We're going to put in the new K-6 comprehensive reading program standardized throughout the district, which we haven't had for a while. So that's a major move." She added that staff development and curriculum writing are also supported by the plan.

Prior to the public vote on the budget, a public hearing on the Plainedge Budget will be held, on May 9. During the hearing, residents traditionally ask questions about the budget and provide feedback about the components of the spending plan and associated tax rate.

Compared to other Nassau County communities, Plainedge has a relatively low amount of commercial property, leaving most of the tax burden to homeowners. Despite this, Plainedge has seen low to moderate property tax increases within the past five years. In 1995-96, the district's 1.86 percent tax rate increase was among the ten lowest of Nassau County's 53 districts. In 1996-97, its increase of 5.04 percent ranked number 25 among the districts, while its increase of 1.98 percent ranked number 47 in 1997-98, and 1998-99 increase of 4.56 percent ranked number 29. Last year's increase of 3.56 percent ranked number 30 and was quite lower than that of surrounding districts, as Massapequa raised taxes by about eight percent, and Farmingdale by about six percent.

Commenting on the budget, Superintendent of Schools John A. Richman, Ed. D. stated, "High quality education is not without a cost. We're required to meet increased state standards and help our kids reach the higher Regents requirements without additional state funding. We have a responsibility to provide the best possible education we can afford to. And this budget tries to get the most mileage from the funding we have to provide."