Residents of the Westbury School District will take to the polls on Tuesday, June 3 to vote for or against the district's proposed 2003-2004 budget of $65,360,217. The proposed spending plan represents an increase of 6.38 percent, or $3,919,675, over last year's budget, due, in part, to reduction in state aid, contractual obligations, increased operating costs, rising costs in the state retirement systems and a growing student population.

The budget is broken into three components; Administrative, Program and Capital with the proposed 2003-04 costs at $6,754,655, $51,389,836 and $7,215,726, respectively. Of the budget's total cost, only 17 percent or $11.3 million would be offset with state aid.

The proposed budget closely follows the state mandated contingency budget, which means the budget being submitted for approval is 3 cents more a day or $11 more a year per taxpayer. With the average home in Westbury assessed at $6,000, the tax rate increase for 2003-04 would be approximately 8.43 percent or $94.20 per $100 of assessed valuation. As a result, the average homeowner's school tax bill would be around $5,652.

Due to the Nassau County Reassessment Project, the figures present are estimates only and subject to adjustments due to finalization of assessed value data and calculation of adjusted based proportions. Final tax rates will be set by Nassau County.

Of the proposed budget, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Constance R. Clark said, Úquot;We believe that this budget provides the essentials to ensure a quality education for all students in the Westbury School District. The board of education, administration and teachers are resolved to accomplish this and we believe we have done so.Úquot;

According to Clark, cuts in state aid and contractual obligations as well as increased enrollment, state retirement systems and operations costs are major contributors to the increase in the district's 2003-04 budget. Úquot;To contain the necessary budget increases we are reallocating personnel, eliminating increases in staff, securing grants to offset program costs, establishing business and educational partnerships and concentrating on cost-efficient management,Úquot; said Clark.

Voting for the 2003-2004 budget and election of trustees will take place on Tuesday, June 3 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Dryden Street School, Park Avenue School, Drexel Avenue School and Westbury Middle School.

For more information, please call the District Clerk's office at 876-5026 or visit www.westburyschools.org.