Agudath Israel of America is bewildered at the release of an audit report indicating that the East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD) has a budgetary surplus of approximately $30 million. This finding, presented yesterday at the ERCSD Board meeting by independent auditing firm EFPR Group, LLP, diverges wildly from the $20-40 million deficit expected this summer by state-appointed monitors. The severe projected deficit had prompted the State Education Department (SED) to take the extraordinary step of substantially increasing and overriding the voted upon property tax levy on East Ramapo residents to generate needed funds. This move by SED — and specifically the communally divisive rhetoric used to justify it — was criticized by Agudath Israel and others at the time.
While the report of newly found funds is a welcome development, it also raises some serious questions: How did a financial error of this magnitude occur? In light of these new developments, will SED rescind its premature tax hike on East Ramapo residents? Will services that have been cut to public and nonpublic school children now be reinstated? Agudath Israel respectfully asks Commissioner Betty Rosa to consider these questions.
Agudath Israel expresses its appreciation to Senator Bill Weber (R) and Assemblyman-elect Aron Wieder (D) for being unwavering voices on this issue.
Finally, while Agudath Israel has not reviewed the auditor’s report, early reports indicate that at least some of the surplus is attributable to one-time funding streams, such as residual federal COVID funds. Therefore, Agudath Israel continues to assert that East Ramapo, from a long-term perspective, will continue to be underfunded as a district until the root cause of the funding issue, a flawed Foundation Aid formula, is fully and finally corrected.