111005 Budget will accommodate settlement, says Cooper

Earlier this year, the first set of budget numbers for the 2005-06 school year were rolled out by Bedford Central School District superintendent Dr. Debra Jackson.

The proposed budget; which will go before voters in May, is $96,576;096, a year-to-year increase of $7,196,212, or 8.05 percent. Estimated tax rate increases are 6.71 percent for Bedford, 12.92 percent for Mount Kisco, 8.25 percent for Pound Ridge, 6.95 percent for New Castle, and 27:03 percent for North Castle.

According to Dr. Jackson^'s presentation, state aid has decreased from 8.7 percent of the budget in 1999 to 5.7 percent of the budget in 2005. Climbing costs for the district are growing enrollment, retirement and health insurance benefits, fuel prices, and technology needs.

Teachers' salaries are built into the budget, including fluctuations within the teachers' pay or benefits, said Mr. Cooper this week. The budget can and will accommodate the settlement," he said. "We have made accommodation in the budget for this."