Levittown board hears budget update as district faces $230,000 shortfall

The Levittown Board of Education received its required annual budget hearing on May 8, where district staff outlined a $230,000 reduction in anticipated state aid and described options for closing the gap.

“At the end of the day, we will be receiving $230,000 less than what was budgeted,” Mr. Fabiano said, summarizing the difference between the district’s adopted projections and the state’s final aid figures. He told the board the district can address the shortfall by identifying increased revenues, cutting appropriations, using reserves, or some combination of those steps.

Fabiano said his recommendation was to hold off on non-instructional, non-safety equipment purchases pending confirmation that interest-earning projections will exceed conservative estimates. “We are gonna hold back on some non instructional, non safety related equipment purchases until we can ascertain that those interest earnings will actually exceed the projections,” he said.

Fabiano walked the board through the budget calendar and noted the May 21 budget vote remains scheduled, with four polling sites open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. He also highlighted capital-project updates: classroom air-conditioning work is complete, two cafeteria projects are expected to finish before summer, and several projects have SED (State Education Department) approval or are close to approval. He reported that early bids for some projects came in at about $1,700,000 — roughly 10% below the budgeted estimate for those first work packages.

The presentation also described a district-level transfer to capital of approximately $3,000,000, including a planned lighting project for Wisdom Lane Elementary School’s track and field contingent on SED approval, and an energy-performance contract that would add solar panels across the district to reduce future electric bills.

Fabiano cautioned the board about contingency options should voters reject the budget: the district could (1) put the same budget up for a revote, (2) submit an amended budget for revote, or (3) operate under a contingency budget that would force a 0% tax-levy increase and eliminate non-emergency capital work and many non-instructional purchases. “Under a contingency budget… there would be constraints placed on this budget,” he said.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the tax levy and a large local property returning to the tax rolls; Fabiano said the property’s transition back onto the rolls will likely align the district’s effective tax rate more closely with Nassau County averages. He noted the district’s appropriations increases remain slightly below the inflation rate set by the state controller.

The board did not take a vote on the budget at the meeting. The district will present the budget to voters on Tuesday, May 21, with polls open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; if the budget is defeated, the board expects to address next steps at the June 5 meeting.