Bellmore-Merrick CHSD Budget Recap: $133 Million Means Job Cuts

(Editor's note: one candidate's name was removed from this article per their request to Patch.)

The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Board of Education proposed a $133 million budget for the 2012-13 school year.

Key points

• The district is anticipating eliminating six administrative positions, eight teaching positions, three permanent subs, late buses for the high schools and will be shrinking extracurricular activities.
• It is estimated that the cost per student for the district is $20,158 per head.
• The CHSD will be getting approximately $16.76 million in state aid – a 4.8 percent decrease from the 2011-12 school year.
• The school district is proposing a 1.3 percent increase to the budget for the 2012-13 school year, which should stand at about $133 million.
• About $2 million in cuts had to be made to keep the budget below the tax levy cap.

Board seats

Board seats in all four districts that make up the CHSD are up for grabs.

Merrick has five people running for three seats. Incumbent Susan Schwartz belongs to the CHSD board and is running for her seat again. Dr. Nancy Kaplan, also an incumbent, will be seeking re-election. Dr. Pamela Banks, Eric Streznec and Sigal Negrin will be running against the incumbents. It is 'at large' voting.

In North Bellmore, the incumbents are Grace Cramsie and Joe Perrone. Nina Lanci, former president of the CHSD board, Marc Berkowitz, Peter Mayo and (removed) will challenge them for their seats.

Neil Brown and Steve Enella are running unopposed for seats in the North Merrick School District. Neither Brown nor Enella sit on the CHSD board.

Where to vote

Please report to your elementary schools to vote. Hours and polling places should be available on all of the district websites.

For more information, see the school website.