Once again, it's time to head to the polls.
School budget voting will take place on Tuesday, May 19 state-wide to
determine school funding in a time of reduced state funding and fiscal
crisis.
A common theme in area school districts is cutting costs, which comes in various forms from eliminating staff to reduced spending on cafeteria food.
Saratoga Springs Central School District is proposing a $110,129,655 budget. While this is a 2.59 percent increase from last year, there will be no increase in the tax levy, or the portion of the budget taxpayers are responsible for. The tax levy will remain stable at $69,111,581.
"This was a feat that was accomplished primarily through cost containment at the local level. The school district has eliminated more than $2 million in proposed expenditures since January 2009. Reductions in instructional and support staff through attrition account for $1,157,943 with the remainder coming through funding cuts distributed among schools and departments district-wide," said Board of Education president Frank Palumbo in a statement.
Also on the ballot is a proposition to purchase up to six 66-passenger school buses and two 36-passanger buses to replace aging buses with high mileage and mechanical problems. The estimated cost is $798,000, with State aid covering 52.1 percent of the cost.
Schuylerville residents will go to the polls to vote on a proposed $31.1 million budget. If approved, the budget would have a projected average tax levy increase of approximately 1.86 percent.
The proposed budget includes more than $207,000 in cuts to staff and programs.
"We're sensitive to the financial challenges faced by our community members," said Superintendent Leon Reed. "With that in mind, we looked at every program for areas that could be cut with the least negative impact on students."
The following staff and programs were among those cut in order to lower the tax impacts:
- 11 stipend-funded
curriculum coordinator positions
- One part-time Accelerated
Learning Program (ALPS)
teacher
- School-day driver education
program
- One part-time equine
studies teacher
- One part-time career education
coordinator
- One elementary school teacher
(through attrition)
Also on the ballot will be a bus proposition. In order to replace older and less efficient buses, two large diesel buses and one small bus would be purchased at a cost of $230,800. Eighty-four percent is covered by state aid and there will be no impact on next year's tax rate.
Finally, residents of the Ballston Spa Central School District will vote on a proposed budget of $70,482,212. Currently, based on the projected numbers and proposed budget, the average homeowner in the district will see an approximate $63 tax increase. The year-to-year change in the budget reflects a 4.6% increase. State aid formulas indicate we will realize $1,543,444 less in aid revenues. The district will utilize reserve funds totaling $1,100,000, a third of the district's reserves, in order to minimize the impact of the budget on the community. Estimates of tax increases will vary depending on towns in the district and are only an estimate, said Stuart Williams in a statement.
For more information on the upcoming vote and polling places, call Saratoga Springs City School District at (518) 583-4700, Schuylerville Central School District at (518) 685-3255 and Ballston Spa Central School District at (518) 884-7101.
A common theme in area school districts is cutting costs, which comes in various forms from eliminating staff to reduced spending on cafeteria food.
Saratoga Springs Central School District is proposing a $110,129,655 budget. While this is a 2.59 percent increase from last year, there will be no increase in the tax levy, or the portion of the budget taxpayers are responsible for. The tax levy will remain stable at $69,111,581.
"This was a feat that was accomplished primarily through cost containment at the local level. The school district has eliminated more than $2 million in proposed expenditures since January 2009. Reductions in instructional and support staff through attrition account for $1,157,943 with the remainder coming through funding cuts distributed among schools and departments district-wide," said Board of Education president Frank Palumbo in a statement.
Also on the ballot is a proposition to purchase up to six 66-passenger school buses and two 36-passanger buses to replace aging buses with high mileage and mechanical problems. The estimated cost is $798,000, with State aid covering 52.1 percent of the cost.
Schuylerville residents will go to the polls to vote on a proposed $31.1 million budget. If approved, the budget would have a projected average tax levy increase of approximately 1.86 percent.
The proposed budget includes more than $207,000 in cuts to staff and programs.
"We're sensitive to the financial challenges faced by our community members," said Superintendent Leon Reed. "With that in mind, we looked at every program for areas that could be cut with the least negative impact on students."
The following staff and programs were among those cut in order to lower the tax impacts:
- 11 stipend-funded
curriculum coordinator positions
- One part-time Accelerated
Learning Program (ALPS)
teacher
- School-day driver education
program
- One part-time equine
studies teacher
- One part-time career education
coordinator
- One elementary school teacher
(through attrition)
Also on the ballot will be a bus proposition. In order to replace older and less efficient buses, two large diesel buses and one small bus would be purchased at a cost of $230,800. Eighty-four percent is covered by state aid and there will be no impact on next year's tax rate.
Finally, residents of the Ballston Spa Central School District will vote on a proposed budget of $70,482,212. Currently, based on the projected numbers and proposed budget, the average homeowner in the district will see an approximate $63 tax increase. The year-to-year change in the budget reflects a 4.6% increase. State aid formulas indicate we will realize $1,543,444 less in aid revenues. The district will utilize reserve funds totaling $1,100,000, a third of the district's reserves, in order to minimize the impact of the budget on the community. Estimates of tax increases will vary depending on towns in the district and are only an estimate, said Stuart Williams in a statement.
For more information on the upcoming vote and polling places, call Saratoga Springs City School District at (518) 583-4700, Schuylerville Central School District at (518) 685-3255 and Ballston Spa Central School District at (518) 884-7101.
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