The Sidewalks of White Plains

Voters approve White Plains School Budget for 01-02 by 4 to 1 Margin.

Yanofsky "thrilled," promises lower debt service next year will mean a more stable budget.

Susan Kirkpatrick is elected to Board of Education, replacing Lewis Trippett. Richard Bernstein is reelected to his seat.

By John F. Bailey

CityLine: May 15, 2001--Education House

Less than 2% of the School District registered voters turned out for the annual school board election Tuesday and delivered a vote of confidence in the White Plains City School District budget management by approving a 7.9% year-to-year increase in the 2001-2002 budget by a 4 to 1 margin, authorizing a $118,686,686 expenditure by the district next year.

Dr. Saul Yanofsky, Superintendent of Schools, said "We're thrilled. We worked to strike that balance as to what budget we felt we had to have to carry on a sound educational program, and balance that against taxes."

A total of 1,335 persons voted to approve the budget and 305 voted against it. Returns ran strongly 4 to 1 in favor across the school district: The totals by voting place:

Returns were unofficial, and do not count absentee ballots.

Dr. Yanofsky said that budgeting for 2002-2003 should produce a budget without as large an increase as the one the voters approved yesterday because the district debt service will decrease by 1.5 million dollars next year, and will continue to reduce in coming years. He expressed optimisim that the utility costs which increased 18% year to year in the just-approved budget, would stabilize. He allowed that BOCES services which increased 9.5% tend to not increase as much after they have a jump like this year.

Susan Kirkpatrick, running for Lewis Trippett's seat on the Board of Education, received 1,434 votes, running unopposed. Mr. Trippett chose not to run for reelection to the Board. Richard Bernstein received 1,313 votes in his successful reelection bid to the Board.

Ms. Kirkpatrick, interviewed at Education House where she had come to monitor the budget vote told WPCNR that she chose to run for a seat on the Board of Education because "I've been active for many years and am eager to participate in the decision-making."

She said she hoped to open more lines of communication and cooperation between the school district and the city, and would work to create an atmosphere where, she said "every child's abilities are appreciated, and every child's state of learning and their invaluable differences are appreciated."