Levittown Schools State Aid Increase for 2013-14 Lower Than Reported

While the $4.93 million increase the Levittown School District will receive in state aid isn’t technically incorrect, that number is perhaps a little deceiving.

Patch reported last week that the Levittown School District would get an increase of $4.93 million or 10.3 percent in state aid, but Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Grossane said the actual amount that they will receive for 2013-14 is much lower.

That’s mainly because the $3.29 million of the $4.93 million received in building aid is not received all at once. Instead, the amount is amortized over a period of 15 years, Grossane said.  

The total change is aid year over year is really $1.94 million or 4.1 percent, Grossane said. The total amount in building aid received is about $104,642 this year, as opposed to the $3,290,123 reported.

Levittown is slated to receive $49,519,250 in proposed state aid, compared to $47,570,230 in 2012-13, according to Wednesday night’s budget presentation.

The total aid Levittown receives from the state represents about the average for local school districts, Grossane said. Even so, Grossane said the District is thankful for the aid.

“We appreciate the 4 percent, we will put it to good use, and it will certainly help alleviate some of the burdens that we would have to face if we didn’t get it,” Grossane said.

The current draft of the 2013-14 proposed budget comes in at $195,590,207, a 2.94 percent change that amounts to a $5,593,626 increase over last year’s budget.

The Island Trees School District, on the other hand, received approximately $800,000 in new state aid, according to Superintendent Charles Murphy.

“Although we did receive a sizeable state aid increase for the first time in four years, there is still a gap between $1.4 million in new pension expenses and $800,000 in state aid,” Murphy said.

However, Murphy said that the District was able to reduce staffing through “scrutinizing” their schedules, due to dwindling enrollment. Island Trees also was able to eliminate $300,000 in tax certiorari expenses since the county law was struck down, Murphy said.

“In the end, the district’s budget meets the new tax cap law and will be able to maintain all of the quality programs and services for the future,” Murphy said.

The fourth Levittown budget presentation and first budget hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 7:30 p.m. at Levittown Memorial. The expected tax levy and tax rate projections as well as an adoption of the 2013-14 budget are expected at that meeting. The budget vote will be held on May 21.

Island Trees Board of Education will hold a special meeting and work session on April 17, with the public portion beginning at 7 p.m. at 74 Farmedge Road in Levittown.

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