Voters go to polls Tuesday for school board and budget vote

Warwick budget up 4.79 percent, By Linda Smith Hancharick Warwick — Warwick school district voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve the proposed $71,969,305 school budget, up 4.79 percent over last year. “The difference between an austerity budget and an approved budget is $22 a month for the average homeowner,” said Superintendent Dr. Frank Greenhall. “It is as tight as you can get without cutting programs.” The proposed budget is actually smaller than the one presented earlier this year by retiring superintendent, Dr. Joseph Natale. Natale’s last proposed budget was $72.1 million, up 4.98 percent. Greenhall, who took the reins in February, said the district was able to cut from the original proposal because of a decrease in teachers’ retirement funding and a cut in revenue to the school newspaper. The district estimates its state aid near $20 million. Depending on the final state aid figures, the cost to taxpayers is as follows: Town of Warwick residents with an average assessed value of $40,000 will pay between $18 and $22 additional per month. The estimated tax rate is between $130 and $132 per thousand of assessed value. Town of Chester residents with an average assessed value of $170,000 will pay between $19 and $23 additional per month. The estimated tax rate is between $32 and $33 per thousand of assessed value. The total increase per year for the average Chester homeowner is between $224 and $281, depending on state aid. The average Warwick homeowner will pay between $211 and $265 per year more than last year. There will be just one board-initiated vote, according to Greenhall. If the budget does not pass and residents petition the board to have another vote, there could be two elections. However, with the difference between an approved budget and an austerity budget at just over $207,000, Greenhall said he doesn’t know if it would be worth it. If an austerity budget is adopted by the board, the biggest impact to the public is with requiring community groups to pay to use the facilities. Six candidates are vying for three seats on the school board. They include incumbents Jerry Sommer and Stephen Baldino, as well as Joseph Ginley, Mark Glasse, James Mezzetti and Janine Sarbak. The top three vote-getters will take their places on the board in July. This is the smallest increase to taxpayers since the 1998-99 school year when the budget increased 4.71 percent. In 2000-01, the budget increased more than 15 percent; in 1993-94, the increase was 3.05 percent. The base budget, which includes salaries and benefits, utilities, debt, and supplies, increases 4.42 percent, up to $71,713,189. Staffing needs increase $256,116, up .37 percent. This budget includes cuts in teaching, one foreign language position at the high school and one at the elementary level through attrition. Two elementary school teachers have been added — one for Grade 5 at Park Avenue and one kindergarten teacher at Pine Island. A part-time special education instructor is included, as is a custodian and a part-time nurse at the high school. Last year, voters defeated the district’s $69.75 million budget twice. The first time by 15 votes; the second time by nearly 1,000 votes. The district is running on an austerity budget now. The budget vote is slated for May 16, from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at Pine Island Elementary School, Kings Elementary School, and the Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center.