Polls open for school budget voting

The increase in the tax levy – the amount to be raised through property taxes – allowed under the cap for Eden was 0.46 percent, and the district proposed increasing the levy by 2 percent.

Capsules previewing Tuesday’s school budget voting throughout the area that appeared in Sunday’s issue of the Times contained an error. The total budget is actually $25,856,594 without the $2,673,362 unfunded retirement liability that schools are required to carry as a paper-only budget line item, Bell noted.

In addition to general spending plans, many districts are asking for residents to vote on capital projects and spending on school buses.

I also believe, after learning of the school system’s management of the millage rate over the last nine years, that we are in much better shape from a tax burden than many other counties in the state that are comparable in size to Paulding. However, qualifications on paper are but one aspect of the job, which is why we are glad to see the “meet and greet” receptions the district is holding this week as part of the process of the final selection.

Mayor Ethan Strimling voiced his opposition to the school budget cuts, describing “almost universal testimony in opposition” to them by members of the public who spoke Monday. If we’re wrong and the community doesn’t want to support a 6.5, we’ll come back. But education watchers in the state are already forecasting tough budgets a year from now. Voters approved the 2018-19 budget 462-210.

All reporting school districts had their budgets approved by taxpayers except for Stamford Central School District, which was unable to make the 60 percent majority needed to pass its budget.

District administrators earlier this year proposed increasing the number of students in classrooms as one of several measures to accommodate reduced state funding.

While the guidelines could prove problematic if the school division needs more than 37 percent of the city’s budget, Truban said the reverse is also true.

Voters also elected three people – John Ellis, JoAnne Kiernan, Patricia Morrison – to three-year terms on the Board of Education.

Professional regular salaries increased $323,781 from previous year and service personnel regular salaries increased $156,316, mainly from the state 5% increase which was $2,020 for teachers and professional employees and $1,100 for service employees.

The new positions focus on improving social and emotional services for students, expanding programs for students with disabilities and adding teachers to keep up with growing enrollment.

Spending plans for 669 districts across the state are up to vote and have to comply with the rules for the state’s cap on property taxes for the eighth consecutive year. Projected special revenue increased $64,927 from previous year.

There are school board candidates on some ballots. She has lived in Niskayuna for seven years, where her son graduated in 2012 and her daughter attends Van Antwerp Middle School.

With Tuesday’s election day looming ever closer, among the decisions voters will be making at the polls are the proposed 2018-2019 school budgets for the Waverly and Tioga Central school districts. Voters adopted budgets and other resolutions in districts including Galway, Schuylerville, Schalmont, Duanesburg, North Colonie and elsewhere.

Additionally, the remaining three propositions passed on Tuesday night-including proposals to use money from the Construction Capital Reserve Fund for various projects around the school, and the authorization to spend $55,000 to participate in the Southampton Youth Association for the 2018-19 school year, and to spend $8,000 for the district’s participation in the Parrish Art Museum.