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The most recent merger was Eastport-South Manor. Is anybody familiar with how property taxes were affected in that area?
I think when those two tiny districts consolidated back in 2004 there was no tax savings at all but I could be wrong. I also believe that was the most recent one here on Long Island (previous one was 1997 annexation of Laurel by Mattituck-Cutchogue)
Reading this Newsday quote (from November 2014) very carefully reinforces a HUGE reason why it is so rare:
A 2005 study by Syracuse University researchers found that two districts of 300 students each could cut costs 23.7 percent by combining, due to economies of scale. Combining two districts of 1,500 students each could save 3.9 percent, the study showed. Many experts have concluded that consolidations involving districts with enrollments of more than 1,500 each should be attempted only if the reorganization meets some other goal, such as giving students a wider choice of advanced courses.
The enrollment decline in the next 10 years is stunning and if consolidation is not on the table many of these districts will starve themselves financially.
The State should incentivize the process in the budget but that would be smart government.
Most of the recent talks of consolidation have been in the hamptons. Southampton and Tuckahoe have attempted mergers two tears in a row, failed both times. Property taxes would have plummeted in Tuckahoe and went up a little bit in Southampton. However, this was because Southampton already had very low property taxes (as most of the actual hamptons districts do). What I find interesting about the way consolidation is discussed out there, is that the small school districts are the ones in favor. You'd think they'd want local control, but no, they would give up some local control in order to reduce property taxes.
Center Moriches and East Moriches did a consolidation feasibility study a while back as well.
Consolidation will only work when it lowers taxes in both the districts involved, which it would have failed to do in Southampton. A potential successful consolidation on the East End would be Greenport and Southold. They both currently share a superintendent, and probably have similar property tax rates.
Outside of the East End, the only major recent talk of merging was in Elwood. The district asked all its neighbors to consider annexing them, not a single one even responded. Now that the Town of Huntington school districts are all seeing their enrollments plummet (especially Commack), the idea might resurface.
On one last note, almost every person I know who works in administration in any of the central high school districts (Bellmore-Merrick, Valley Stream, and Sewanhaka) believes that their system is inefficient and that they'd be better off with one K-12 system. I wonder what the financial implications would be of that sort of merger.
Northport will be looking to consolidate when they lose their LIPA lawsuit.
Only the very smallest school districts (under 1500 - and this fits very very few on Long Island. ) might economically benefit with consolidation/merger. For the non-expert this seems illogical and counter intuitive. See Newsday's map and introduction here: Long Island school districts and enrollments More research is readily available via google. That is one HUGE reason why Northport, Commack, and Harborfields were decidedly uninterested in merging with Elwood. (And fully answers your question as to why only the smallest districts even consider it.)
The fact that some enrollments have shrunk (and some quite dramatically) does not effect the 'very small district' truism.
BTW: Huntington and South Huntington School Districts are exceptions to the Town of Huntington enrollment decline and their overall student numbers are stable or slightly increasing (due to growing immigrant population) Regional Enrollment Continues to Decline - Western Suffolk Boces.
Elwood and Harborfields should merge. That would be a high caliber district that could offer more services like expanded special education and universal pre-k that the current fiefdoms can't provide.
Elwood and Harborfields should merge. That would be a high caliber district that could offer more services like expanded special education and universal pre-k that the current fiefdoms can't provide.
No savings, just additional expense. Why would Harborfields ever vote for it? No interests in the added expense to Harborfields residents 6 years ago and one suspects even less interest now. As some commenters know, both sides have to vote for it.
Don't know if Northport would go for it but given their large size, they might be willing to take on (annex) the low tax base Elwood. Perhaps less of an economic blow?
I think when those two tiny districts consolidated back in 2004 there was no tax savings at all but I could be wrong. I also believe that was the most recent one here on Long Island (previous one was 1997 annexation of Laurel by Mattituck-Cutchogue)
Reading this Newsday quote (from November 2014) very carefully reinforces a HUGE reason why it is so rare:
A 2005 study by Syracuse University researchers found that two districts of 300 students each could cut costs 23.7 percent by combining, due to economies of scale. Combining two districts of 1,500 students each could save 3.9 percent, the study showed. Many experts have concluded that consolidations involving districts with enrollments of more than 1,500 each should be attempted only if the reorganization meets some other goal, such as giving students a wider choice of advanced courses.
No savings, just additional expense. Why would Harborfields ever vote for it?
The amount of the combined enrollment of both districts in 10 years is just about what Harborfields is graduating now. The less administrators and staff could translate into expanded services which is something both districts severely lack. To take it a step further- the closed schools could be sold off to developers who would put those properties back on the tax roles, generating further revenue.
I just looked it up, the study is about rural districts in New York. Things could be different in population-dense suburbs.
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