The Mineola School District has begun the budget process by formulating a preliminary budget for the 2007-2008 school year. The preliminary budget calls for an 8.57 percent increase in expenditures from the 2006-2007 budget, which was passed by voters last May.

The preliminary budget calls for $77,294,579 in expenditures, an increase of $5,546,060 over the 2006-2007 budget of $71,748,519. It is estimated that the tax levy or amount of the budget that comes from taxes will reflect an 8.83 percent increase over the 2006-2007 budget.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Larry Licopoli said the preliminary budget would not resemble the budget that the board would be adopting, most likely in late March. The proposed budget, he said, would be much more detailed and it would have the reduction scenarios for the board to consider.

During Thursday's meeting of the Mineola Board of Education, board vice-president John McGrath wanted to make it clear that the budget presented was preliminary and would not be the budget residents would be voting on May 15. He said the 8 to 9 percent budget increase is a high number and recognizes a need to reduce the budget increase before the public votes on a proposed budget.

"We have considerable work to do to get that number down but we're having a hard time doing it," he said. "Right now, the board is very happy with the configuration but the cost is a concern so we're going to be looking to reduce the cost so we can get the budget passed."

The major cost-cutting effort in the future could be the closure of a school, although such a decision isn't close to being made. The board still has to hire a firm to do a study on the potential impact of such a decision. Such a move would not affect the 2007-2008 proposed budget since a final report isn't due until January 2008. Right now, according to McGrath, closing a school is not on the table.

Board of education member Donna Strein announced that she would seek re-election to the board for another three years this May. Strein was first elected to the board in 2001 and has served two consecutive terms during which she held the titles of president and vice president. She has been a resident of the school district for 27 years.