By: Graham Northup, Rob Coolidge, Dylan Topper, Emerson Smith

Economic trouble, uncertain state funding, and problematic representation: all contributors to the major overhaul the Galway Central School District’s budget has gone through.

“[It] has been more difficult than any one that I have ever experienced,” says Mr. Peter Bednarek, High School Principal. “Certainly more difficult than any I’ve ever done as an administrator.”

The 2011-2012 budget currently proposes various solutions to the impending deficit as combining bus runs, cutting a couple positions in each of the schools (elementary, middle, and high), reduction or removal of field trips and extracurricular activities funding, among others.

“The problem is that we have many constituents,” says Bednarek. These constituents, which are comprised of the faculty and staff, the student body, and all taxpayers in the district, regardless of whether or not they have students in the school, “sometimes have conflicting interests….we are doing the best we can to balance the wants and needs of all of [them].”

“I think the Board [of Education] has done the best they can to deal with the deficit,” says Mr. Damian Ubriaco, a High School English teacher. “If anyone has any complaints, they should take it up with their legislators.”

Indeed, Albany’s handling of the situation leaves something to be desired. According to various sources, the formula used to determine how the funding (or, rather, the lack thereof), is supposed to be weighted toward poorer districts. However, due to multiple factors, including compensation for property taxes, that is simply not the case. Many of the richer districts (those in the top two deciles) will receive between 2 and 2.3 percent of their state aid, whereas the poorer two deciles will receive only 0.7 to 0.8 percent.

The lack of upstate representation is apparent. “I am shocked that more elected officials are not standing up for the north country,” says Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, who further states that these restoration funds will not reimburse the schools until 2012. “You can’t count on promises in next year’s budget to pay for this year’s expenses.”

“The report says all but roughly 100 of the State’s 696 districts have enough reserves to cover the proposed reduction for this year,” Governor Andrew Cuomo stated in a news release. “That’s only reserves. This does not include any renegotiation of health benefits or salaries and it does not include rooting out waste or finding greater efficiencies. The oft-repeated scare tactic from various interest groups that teachers must be fired is simply not so.”

And yet, the Galway budget is planning on reducing the number of teachers regardless. According to a study by the comptroller, 16% of upstate school districts cannot make up for budget cuts with reserves. This accounts for the majority of the 100 districts that cannot afford these cuts.

“In Northville, we’re talking about eliminating kindergarten,” says Superintendent Kathy Dougherty. “In downstate districts like Syosset, they are able to offer their kindergarten students foreign language instruction in Russian. How is that fair?”

“No way I would vote for a budget that would include a tax increase,” says Assemblyman Kenneth D. Blankenbush. “It’s a simple formula for me: higher taxes, less jobs.”

Indeed, the state has issues as far as taxes go. A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston finds that New York tops all other states on “tax effort,” the measure of actual collections as compared to what they would have been if all taxes were at the national average. On this scale, New York was 34% above national average in fiscal year 2002, although this trend was decreasing. In 2007, New York tax revenue was about 63 million dollars, half of that of the highest state in that respect (California), but with approximately half of the population. Relatively, Texas, ranked second in population (about two-thirds of California), had a tax revenue only a third of that of California.

The question becomes: where is all of this money going? And, perhaps more importantly, what does this all mean for Galway?

“I believe that the quality of the education that we deliver will not be compromised…. I believe in the people that we have. That being said, … I believe that, in some ways, the quantity is going to [be compromised],” says Bednarek.

Voting on the 2011-2012 budget will begin on Tuesday, May 17, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM at the school, and is open to all qualified voters.