PINE BUSH – At the Board of Education Meeting this Tuesday, Superintendant Phil Steinberg did not mince words: "We have a total shortfall of more than $11 million. That would mean a 25 percent tax increase if we tried to pass it along to the taxpayers. That is simply not acceptable."

Steinberg and Assistant Superintendant Deborha Brush made a presentation of the budget situation, and the figures were grim, to say the least. After years of budget rollovers and budget increases in the 7 percent range, the district was about to slam into a brick wall. The immediate crisis has been sparked by the $3,556,222 cut in state aid to the district, but the underlying problems are only making it much worse.

Steinberg, who had spent the weekend in Albany meeting with legislators and attending seminars to discuss various aspects of the situation, noted that even with a 4 percent increase in property taxes conforming to the mooted tax-cap promoted by Governor David Patterson, the district would still need to appropriate $3 million from the fund balance — made up of moneys that were not spent in previous years, put aside for a rainy day — to come up with a budget of $98,045,917.

"If we continue to use the fund balance, then we'll be broke," said the superintendant. "We have been using the fund balance, and once it's gone, it's gone. If something happens, like a boiler breaks down and has to be replaced, we won't have the money to do it."

Meanwhile, the projected budget, if no action is taken, would reach $106,924,498. Throw in the cut in state aid of $3,556,222 and the loss of debt service transfer of $575,895, and you have the fairly terrifying figure of $11,127,243 in shortfall.

As for whether the governor was inclined to bend at all on the matter of the cuts in state aid for schools, Steinberg said, "I spoke with the governor at breakfast yesterday and I have to tell you, he was not willing to give any ground."

On the topic of budget rollovers, Steinberg said, "You can't rollover what you don't have. We are in a situation where we have to balance the budget and rollovers like this are not sound accounting practice."

Noting again that the idea of passing the buck to the taxpayers was "totally preposterous," the superintendant got down to explaining how money was going to be cut. In the "Planned Approach to 2009-2010," he noted that every single line item in the budget will be examined closely for reductions and cuts. More than that, there will be an examination of the numbers in every class, and class sizes will be adjusted to reflect the district's policy there. There will also be a close examination of class size in light of the continued decline in enrollment. All programs, all capital expenditures and all administrative costs will also come under the microscope for possible cuts and reductions.

Uultimately, that will mean staff layoffs. Steinberg mentioned his own experience on that subject. "I know what it feels like. It happened to me in the seventies, when I was a teacher in New York. But it can't be avoided. As soon as we know, we will inform people. We realize we're dealing with people's lives."

The next school board meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. on January 27 at the high school.

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