Close to 100 concerned residents from New Cassel and Westbury showed up at a meeting held April 7 at the community center on Post Ave. to protest Nassau BOCES efforts to purchase a building it now rents in Westbury, the result of which would be a $320,000 loss to the tax rolls in the Westbury School District.

The Board of Cooperative Educational Services of Nassau County is seeking voter approval to purchase the building in a countywide referendum April 11. The necessary funds to purchase the building are currently available through the use of Nassau BOCES capital funds, so there will be no additional charge to local school districts to complete the transaction. However, if approved by voters, the $320,000 in private property taxes generated each year will be lost, as the BOCES-owned property would be tax-exempt.

"This is another smack in the face to the taxpayers of Westbury's School District," said Legislator Roger Corbin (D-Westbury). "Right across the street, Nassau County is purchasing the King Kullen property, which is $480,000 off the tax roll, coupled with the $320,000 for the sale of BOCES. Almost a million dollars is coming from the taxpayers in the Westbury School District, when we cannot afford to lose one nickel."

Corbin, who was present at the meeting, also railed against the fact that Westbury was left out of seven polling locations, the nearest being in Carle Place, as did several other community leaders.

Westbury Hills Civic Association President Florence Clark said she was dissatisfied with the Westbury Board of Education and BOCES Vice President Charles R. Russel's response to concerns regarding the lack of information about the referendum provided to residents. "This procedure allegedly began with BOCES and the Westbury Board of Education in 1999, and culminated this April. We were denied involvement due to a total lack of publicity," she said.

Barbara Behrens, senior manager in the BOCES office of information told The Westbury Times that material was sent to all the local school district superintendents in Nassau County during the week of March 6, to be distributed within their respective communities. "Our concentration was communicating through our component school districts regarding the referendum," she said.

Westbury Superintendent Dr. Constance Clark said that she did not recall receiving a bulk mailing from BOCES to be disseminated to residents, only enough newsletters to be distributed to board members. Although Dr. Clark said she did not issue any formal notification to the community, she addressed the subject at the March board of education meeting. "I talked about the fact that a meeting had been held with the BOCES superintendent and other legislators to discuss an appropriation which would equal the amount we stand to lose."

Dr. Clark said State Senator Michael Balboni (R-Mineola) said he plans to introduce legislation asking for increased state aid. "We are hoping that the legislation will be presented and support will be given so that we will not lose this revenue," she said. "Based on the fact that we are a needy district, the loss of that kind of funding would have an impact on our programs."

If the referendum passes, and there is no state relief for the district, it has been estimated that there would be a dollar increase on the tax rate, costing the average homeowner in Westbury an extra $30 a year, according to Dr. Clark.

The 186,000 square foot building, located on Prospect Ave., which houses career education programs and technology services, has been leased by Nassau BOCES for many years. Now, the agency has a one-time option to buy the building for $6 million, an option which will expire July 31.

If voters say no, and Nassau BOCES is unable to purchase the center, the agency will be legally obligated to nine more years of rent and tax payments. Such payments are passed along to the 56 local school districts.

"If BOCES purchases the building, these rental and tax charges--now at approximately $1.2 million a year--will be eliminated in the future," stated BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Jerry W. Shiveley. "Even assuming there would be no increase in taxes, this adds up to a savings of approximately $10 million over the nine years left on our lease."

(This article was written prior to the April 11 referendum vote. Follow-up coverage will be provided in next week's issue of The Westbury Times.)