Ramapo School Board OKs austerit

Ramapo School Board OKs austerity

May 28, 2008 The East Ramapo Board of Education voted 5 to 2
this evening to adopt an austerity budget for the district. The alternative was to return the budget to the Superintendent's office for further trimming.
The meeting room at district headquarters
on South Madison held an overflow crowd, and many took the opportunity to express their views on an increase of 3.36% that would create an 11.5% tax increase. Members on both sides of the issue acknowledged the State's failure to fairly fund the school district.
The original budget had been rejected by voters last week (May 20). The new plan was decreased by $721,000 for a total $192.7 million.
Most of the speakers hit on three themes: the difficult burden of increasing taxes, the value of a quality education for children in the district, and the divisions these issues were causing in the community.
A motion to table the decision was dismissed and the final vote was 5 to 2 in favor of accepting the amended budget.

Superintendent Ira Oustatcher said the 10.3% raise in taxes would be a one-time adjustment that should not be repeated in upcoming years. He also exhorted the community to come together in a single effort to pressure our local representatives to state government and Bruno, Silver, and Governor Patterson to correct the unfair shortages East Ramapo has had to suffer in recent years.

Michael Castelluccio

Check these websites for form letters you can send to your representatives and for updated information on the New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition and similar groups.