Neighbor News

Rye Neck UFSD Braces Itself

for Impending Tax Cap
Like all NYS school districts, the Rye Neck Board of Education
prepares for a two percent tax cap.
By Chari Topol-Allison, Neighbor

Feb 17, 2011 2:49 pm ET | Updated Feb 17, 2011 8:32 pm ET

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The Rye Neck UFSD Board of Education has been known to temper bad news with awards and a
song. But, according to Rye Neck UFSD Superintendent Dr. Peter Mustich, the only chorus that
will fix the impending state budget cuts and tax caps is that of a vocal community.

At the Feb. 16th board of education meeting, Mustich explained that Governor Cuomo's recent
proposed budget cuts translated to a $240,000 cut in state aid to Rye Neck schools and a possible
cut of $1.5 million if a "thoughtless" two percent property tax cap is instituted.

While taxation should be controlled, he added, the question is, should it be controlled by a state
government or locally.

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"School districts are the only budgets that actually go for a public vote," Mustich reminded the
community, "that's a cap. . .every single year. This cap takes away that local control."

This tax cap would limit local property tax increases to two percent or the rate of inflation—
whatever is lower.

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The public might not be aware, as Mustich pointed out, of two items that drive school budget
increases which are pensions and unfunded state mandates. Employee pensions are controlled by
the legislature, not the Board of Education. And, as he has pointed out in the past, if schools were
relieved of unfunded mandates, such as transportation for private school students, state aid cuts
could be offset by savings in those line items.

Now that Suzi Oppenheimer—who voted yes to the property tax cap—and the rest of the state
senate have passed the two percent cap, it will go before the state assembly. There is a provision
for voters to override the restriction with a local referendum. To avoid a potential loss of 20
positions, Mustich is calling on parents and concerned residents to be vocal and "scream about
what we need for our local schools." He asks that everyone "paper" their legislators and let them
know how devastating these cuts to education will be to the future of Rye Neck students. The
Rye Neck PTSA has also sent out an email blast to the school community with a sample letter
that parents can use to send or email to their local elected officials.

As proof that they are benefiting from their education at Rye Neck, several students were
honored with awards and accolades for varying achievements. Senior Kelly Yang was the only
Hudson Valley person to place in Cablevision's Hispanic Experience in New York Essay
Contest. After reading her heartfelt essay, she was awarded a brand new netbook.

Next came the Stock Market Game winners. Started in 1977 and played every year throughout
the U.S., students are given $100,000 in virtual funds to set up an online portfolio. Three Rye
Neck students; Sylvie Luzio, Kiran Pande, and Cassandra Swinghamer placed second out of 592
teams in the region with a "profit" of about $18,000.

And finally, six talented vocalists; Haley Biegel, Alexandra Tartaglia, Alexandra Sullivan,
Danny Young, John Varamo and Morgan Shaner from the Rye Neck Chorus were chosen to
participate in the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) 2010 Area All State
Chorus. Each student received outstanding scores—many a perfect 100 – at the 2010 NYSSMA
Festival.

Department chair, Joe Perlman, gave an overview of Rye Neck's new K-5 math program, Math
in Focus, and his goals for the middle and high schools. Based on the Singapore Math style,
Perlman hopes the new elementary program will teach students to apply math to real world
applications and "think outside the box." His long-term goals for the district are math fluency,
math rigor and a majority of students leaving the high school with a minimum of precalculus. He
assures parents that this isn't "new math" but simply a "new approach" to the same math.
The next Rye Neck Board of Education meeting will be the first budget hearing on Wednesday,
Mar. 16, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.