The 2013-2014 North Shore School District budget has been passed by the school board on April 4. The budget will be put up for vote by the community on May 21.The budget will increase from $90,509,228 to $93,985,568, or approximately 3.5 million dollars. This represents an increase of 3.84%.

As i’m sure your aware the LIPA plant will be closing in the near future, leading to an eventual loss of tax revenue for the district. The Board has previously stated that despite the LIPA plant closing, they will cut not school district expenses to offset the loss of income from LIPA.  This budget increase of 3.84% reflects that policy.

Some interesting items in the school budget. The district employs 6 psychologists, at a cost of $832,000 to the taxpayers.  The district is also spending $223,000 this year to give iPads to  the incoming 6th & 9th grade. While presumably iPads could replace textbooks one day, the Board has stated only 2 text books are available on the iPads. Hence the taxpayers are paying for technology before it can be cost effectively implemented. One also has to question why expensive iPads are being selected instead of Kindle devices that are 1/3 the cost.

While the budget exceeds the 2% tax cap, the 3.8% increase is allowed due to loopholes in the tax cap that don’t require an override vote.