C as in Closing

As the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns search for ways to balance the books amidst the current economic recession, without imparting an inordinately large tax increase on the Villages of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, no cost-cutting idea is being ignored - including the possible closing of either Tappan Hill [elementary school] or John Paulding [elementary school].

To understand why the District would consider closing a school, it's important to understand the financial issues driving the conversation. According to Superintendent Howard Smith, the District's capacity to support budget increases is currently limited to property tax dollars only. All other avenues of funding have simply dried up, including funds the District counts on from the State of New York. "Ordinarily we get a certain amount of money from the State," says Dr. Smith. "But at this point they're up there contemplating cutting state aid for us this mid-year, even relative to what they promised us. The Governor's proposal was to reduce the aid that they promised us for this year by $700,000. And if they don't cut it this year, we fully expect them to cut it next year. They're broke."

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