"I think the employees have to become part of the solution."

The Port Chester school district:

"I don't really believe that a tax levy of over 6 percent will pass," board member James Dreves said of the proposed increase. "We run a really lean ship in Port Chester. I think the employees have to become part of the solution."...

Like other districts, Port Chester is coping with declining property values and increased pension costs.

Sounds familiar.

And this is just kicking the can down the road, shifting the burden onto future students.

On the spending side, the district expects to save $1.1 million next year as a result of a retirement incentive taken by 26 teachers and three administrative employees.

Pension reform is desperately needed.

Port Chester district aims for lower tax increase - lohud, 3/20/11

The entire article:

Port Chester district aims for lower tax increase

11:37 PM, Mar. 20, 2011

Written by Leah Rae

PORT CHESTER — School officials are looking for ways to trim an $80.5 million budget plan that calls for a 6.5 percent tax increase next year — and, like elsewhere, all eyes are on the unions.

The school board reviewed an initial budget proposal March 10 from interim Superintendent Thomas Elliott.

Members of the board stressed the need to negotiate with school employees in the coming weeks before they firm up a plan to put before voters May 17.

"I don't really believe that a tax levy of over 6 percent will pass," board member James Dreves said of the proposed increase. "We run a really lean ship in Port Chester. I think the employees have to become part of the solution."

The board will discuss the budget again March 30 and make the key decisions April 7, board President James Taylor said.

Two union contracts — one for about 150 Civil Service employees and one for 350 teaching employees — expire June 30.

Together, those contracts account for about 75 percent to 80 percent of the annual budget.

Like other districts, Port Chester is coping with declining property values and increased pension costs.

Port Chester also is hit hard by state aid cuts, because it is more reliant on that revenue than neighboring districts.

Officials expect state and federal aid to cover just 18 percent of next year's budget, compared with the current 20 percent.

On the spending side, the district expects to save $1.1 million next year as a result of a retirement incentive taken by 26 teachers and three administrative employees.

Elliott's plan would increase overall school spending by about 4 percent over the current year.

It would eliminate one elementary teaching position and reduce a handful of jobs from full time to part time.