PINE BUSH – At the Pine Bush School District Board of Education Meeting on January 26, School Superintendent Phil Steinberg, clearly unhappy with the role, brought down the axe on everything in the district's budget outside of "the bare bones."

"We had projected a budget dealing with cuts of $1.5 million, and that was going to be difficult. But the governor came up with a new state aid formula that doesn't favor Pine Bush, because we didn't have that many students qualifying for free and reduced lunch during the time period the state is considering, which was from 2005 to 2008.

"Now we're looking at cuts of as much as $5.6 million, projected as of today."

State aid for Pine Bush Schools as currently posted by the governor will be $45.29 million, a decline of $5.69 million from 2009-10 levels of expected aid. Factor in increases in contractual expenses of $3.84 million, and the gap in the district's budget becomes enormous — a hole of $9.53 million.

To cover that with just taxes would mean an 18.06 percent increase in the tax warrant. That would translate to a tax increase of a similar magnitude, though because the district is spread over seven towns in three counties, there would be many local variations.

Steinberg has said many times, however, that tax increases of that proportion are out of the question. Instead, the district will strive for a static budget, essentially with zero percent growth, while keeping any tax increase to 2.99 percent or less. "Taxpayers are burdened enough as it is," said Superintendent Steinberg.

And so, there must be cuts, as well as the use of $4 million appropriated from the fund balance, the "rainy day" money that every district needs for a sudden emergency.

"We've spent the last two weeks trying to balance this," said Steinberg. "In the end it's about choices, and our primary goal is to have a good teacher in every classroom."

There will be no Odyssey of the Mind, in 2010-2011. There will be no Honor Society, nor a Year Book, Mock Trial, Science Club, Math Team, Dance Club, High School Newspaper, Jazz Band, Book and Game Club, or a lot of other activities. In fact, there will be no extra-curricular activities at all.

Sports will also face massive cuts. All modified and junior varsity sports teams will be cut. The only fall sports activities included in the budget for 2010-11 are varsity teams.

"This hurts; I'm a sports person, my family played sports, to me athletics is very important," said Steinberg.

He said that he had spoken to legislators in Albany over the past two weeks and had heard the same thing from all of them: "We have no money."

"The governor has destroyed public education as we know it," said Steinberg. "Contact your legislators. Let them know your feelings."

Asked if the governor might not revise his aid figures — these are, after all, the first shots in what will be a long legislative battle this year — Steinberg was gloomy. "Maybe, but it won't help us."

Roseanne Sullivan, Vice-President of the School Board said, "Everyone must talk to their legislators. The thing is, not every school district has been hit as hard as Pine Bush."