Smithtown Schools Facing $4.5M Deficit for 2013-14 Budget

The Smithtown Central School District will have to close a $4.5 million deficit for the 2013-14 budget, with expenditures for the district increasing by roughly $11.9 million.

There is a 5.54-percent spending increase from the current budget to next year's possible $222.7 million budget. Included in the spending increase are salaries, pension, health insurance, BOCES special education and more.

Some of the highest increases that make up the $11.9 million increase in spending include salaries, which are set to increase by roughly $2.6 million, a $7.8 million increase in benefits, $1.2 million for BOCES, and $695,347 in contractual expenditures.

The district is still waiting on final health insurance rates, the TRS rate, the amount of state aid the district would receive and the tax cap calculation to accurately figure out the final budget projection.

Board President Gladys Waldron said after Tuesday's meeting that this budget season and figuring out where to make cuts to save money is going to be scary. 

"You can't cut electricity. You can't do the light, you can't do the heat. That's where the money is, program. And what's program? Program is a teacher in front of the kids," she said.

Waldron said the only open contract left to close with the district is the nurses contract.

The board of education and district administration will hold its first budget hearing Feb. 5.