Elwood, Harborfields budgets up for vote May 15

Elwood, Harborfields budgets up for vote May 15

Elwood Superintendent Ken Bossert. File photo by Elana Glowatz

Harborfields school district taxpayers will have the opportunity to cast their vote on the district’s $86 million proposed 2018-19 budget May 15.

Harborfields board of education has put forth a proposed $86,086,696 budget for the 2018-19 school year, an increase of nearly $2 million over the current year. It represents a tax levy increase of 2.19 percent, well within the state-mandated tax cap.

“After much discussion and input from community residents, the proposed budget provides funding for additional security enhancements throughout the district, including four new security guard positions,” said Superintendent Francesco Ianni.


Harborfields school district
$86 million proposed 2018-19 budget
$1.9 million year-to-year increase
2.19 percent tax levy increase
$22.80 per year increase for average homeowner

The superintendent said the district will also reorganize its pupil personnel services department to include a chairperson of special education, allowing the school psychologist more time for child-focused responsibilities.

The proposed spending plan features funding to restructure Harborfields High School’s science research program to allow the teacher to have dedicated time set aside to support students in their individual pursuit of science inquiry. Other enhancements contained in the proposed budget include a new literacy curriculum; additional resources for science classes districtwide; and new educational classes in engineering, computer science and business entrepreneurship.

If approved by voters, the average Harborfields school district resident will see their annual school taxes increase by an estimated $222.80 per year. This is based on the average home having an assessed value of $4,000, in which an assessed value is a dollar value placed on the property by the Town of Huntington solely for the purposes of calculating taxes based on comparable home sales and other factors.

The polls will be open May 15 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Oldfield Middle School.

Elwood school district 

Elwood voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots on the district’s $61.6 million proposed 2018-19 budget and one additional proposition.

Elwood board of education has put forth a proposed $61,606,082 budget for the 2018-19 school year, an increase of nearly $1.3 million over the current year. It represents a tax levy increase of 2.71 percent well under the state-mandated tax cap.


Elwood school district
$61.6 million proposed 2018-19 budget
2.11 percent year-to-year increase
2.71 percent tax levy increase

“While the board could have proposed a tax cap-compliant budget that carried a higher tax levy increase, they wanted to remain mindful of the cost impact on residents,” Superintendent Kenneth Bossert said. “The proposed spending plan provides for a number of security and academic
enhancements for students, while remaining below the allowable cap.”

The superintendent said the district will focus on strengthening its security by creating a new director or head of security position. The additional security guards hired during the 2017-18 year will continue into next year. Focusing on aspects of student mental health, Bossert said the district is looking to add an additional high school guidance counselor to its staff as well as a districtwide psychologist.

The district is looking to make a transition to a nine-period day for students and support more team instruction teaching for seventh and eighth-graders. There are also funds set aside to allow for the expansion of the school’s one-to-one Chromebook initiative, a personal laptop loaded with Google applications, to its incoming 10th-grade students.

Proposition 2

In addition to the proposed budget, residents will be asked to vote on Proposition 2 under which the district seeks permission to create a capital reserve fund for future improvement projects that were not included in the bond approved earlier this year. If approved, the district would be allowed to set aside a maximum of $500,000 a year, not to exceed a total of $5 million over a 10-year period to help pay for capital projects. If Proposition 2 is approved, there will be no additional tax impact on homeowners.

The polls will be open May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Elwood Middle School’s cafeteria.