Reader Feedback: School State Aid

On Wednesday Patch posed a question to readers: what should Babylon do with the extra state aid money for the 2012-2013 school year? With budget season in full swing, residents had different ideas about the best use of the money.

Many responders went the fiscally conservative route. Bill Constanzo commented on our Facebook page: "Save it for next year, we're going to need it," and 44% of poll voters agreed.

But AnnMarie Martino, PTSA Co-President, pointed out that while the impulse to save was laudable, the realities of school budgeting were more complicated.

"Taxpayers need to keep in mind that almost all school aid is a reimbursement of an expense: "spend it to get it." The 2% cap will remain in effect until June 15, 2016. Therefore, budgetary spending each year is capped based on the previous year's spending. The less a district spends, the lower the allowable increase the following year. Most districts will want to maximize the full cap permissible to maintain the integrity of the educational programs, the extracurricular offerings and to meet contractual obligations."

20 percent of poll respondents wanted to restore programs that have been cut or reduced in previous years.

Dale Cautheri's vote was to "get back some of the programs for the kids like early morning academies and afterschool extra help and sports. Maybe re-introduce foreign languages to the grade school-aged children."

A quarter of all voters wanted to use the funds to offest next year's tax increase. The proposed budget has an increase of 1.39%, which for the average taxpayer is an additional $114.67 or $9.56 per month.

What do you think? Did Babylon residents get this one right, or wrong? Comment below with your thoughts.