RSS 2.0 FeedDecember 9, 2010, Bellmore Life
New county law will cost Bellmore taxpayers more
Mistakes by Nassau's Assessment Board could cost Bellmore taxpayers.
Bellmore Board of Education President Jay Breakstone said during last month’s meeting that school district finances are entering a uncertain period, because the Nassau County Legislature voted to make school districts, towns and villages pay for assessment mistakes made by the Nassau County assessor’s office.
Until now, when individuals or businesses grieved their assessment rate, the county picked up the difference between what these individuals paid in property taxes and what they should have paid. The Legislature’s action now makes towns, villages and school districts responsible for their portion of the improper tax charges. Prior to this vote, the county had picked up the entire tab.
According to Mr. Breakstone, the county Legislature’s actions may face legal challenges, since it was unclear if the county exceeded its legal authority in making this move.
Under state law, according to Mr. Breakstone, county government, town government and school districts are considered to be equal levels of government. Because of this, the county should not be able to push costs onto other equal forms of government.
Mr. Breakstone said that the county could not provide the school district with an accurate account of how much money Bellmore residents may potentially owe due to these assessment mistakes.
In education news
• Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Famularo demonstrated the district’s new website, navigating through the different features and noting that it included current events, information from the Star Power Learning Center and a customizable calendar. The upgraded website was prepared by district consultants and in-house staff.
• At Reinhard, musicians from the Long Island Philharmonic entertained the students by performing both classical and contemporary music inspired by stories about magic. The PTA Cultural Arts Committee sponsored the assembly.
• Also at Reinhard, the PTA transformed the courtyard into a pumpkin patch, where every child got to choose their own pumpkin. They then participated in many classroom activities such as estimating pumpkin weights, comparing pumpkin sizes, and estimating and measuring the pumpkin circumferences.
• Throughout November, the Reinhard Student Advisory Council spearheaded a Coats for Kids campaign, and sponsored by the Neighborhood Cleaners Association and Assemblyman David McDonough. Reinhard students are also collecting nonperishable foods and paper goods.
• At Winthrop Avenue, fourth-grade students visited the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where they investigated the marine life of the Hudson River.
• Also at Winthrop, several classes participated in video conferences. Fourth-grade students took part in “To the Moon and Beyond” through the Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri, which enhanced research the students had already completed about the solar system.
Other classes participated in a video conference on physics, and the Underground Railroad, which allowed southern slaves to escape to northern states in the Civil War era. A third-grade class worked with the Paley Center for Media in New York City and discussed differences in language, transportation, landscape and food in some of the world’s 193 countries.
• Two sixth-grade classes at Shore Road took a field trip to the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University to view a rare exhibit of original World War I posters, while four sixth-grade classes, learned about World War II by taking a field trip to the USS Intrepid.
• The sixth-grade committee of the PTA offered children and their families an opportunity to socialize and play Bingo for prizes that were donated by parents and local businesses. All proceeds will be used for the graduating class of 2011.
• Fifth-grade students attended a performance of “Sticks & Stones” to become better educated about bullying. This one-woman play was written and performed by Lyle Cogen, a Bellmore resident and performing artist. After the performance, students were given the opportunity to ask questions.
• Shore Road students wrote and decorated cards to send to veterans at the Northport VA hospital.
• The board granted tenure to music teacher Laura Laude. In her three years with the district Ms. Laude dramatically increased the size of the Shore Road chorus, and has collaborated with a variety of colleagues to produce plays that support Bellmore’s core values and character education program.
In business news
• A board resolution to accept an award of $25,000 in Community Revitalization Grant funds for the purchase and installation of playground equipment was approved. The grant was made available through the efforts of county Legislator David Denenberg.
• The board accepted a parent donation of magnets.
• Dr. Famularo said that as of the November 16 meeting solar panels at Winthrop Avenue have saved the district approximately $6,740 in energy savings.
• The district earned $18,998 on its investments for the period from July 1 to October 31.
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