School budgets up for vote Tuesday
CHENANGO COUNTY – Voters across Chenango County and the state will head to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots on proposed 2008-2009 school budgets developed by local districts.
Many district administrators blame high fuel and insurance costs for budget increases this year.
Here’s a glance at local school budgets:
• Afton Central Schools voters will decide on a $14,108,903 spending plan for next year. That represents a 3.84 percent tax levy increase.
Overall, it’s a $628,813, or 4.66 percent increase over the 2007-08 budget.
School Board members and Superintendent Elizabeth Briggs say they “worked hard” to keep the budget below the cost of living index, which is 3.98 percent.
There will be cuts in some areas, including elementary summer school, travel/conferences, four aid positions, athletics, and some equipment and supplies.
There is one proposition on the ballot to purchase a 27-passenger bus with wheelchair capability at an amount not to exceed $96,000. State transportation aid will reimburse the school for 90 percent of the cost.
• Bainbridge-Guilford Central Schools is presenting a budget of $16,501,488 for 2008-09. That represents a 5.5 percent budget increase and a 1.9 percent tax levy increase.
The budget allows the district to continue present programs and adds one Math/Computer Technology teacher, Superintendent Karl Brown said, adding that there is funding to cover increasing special education enrollments and contractual obligations for faculty and staff.
Also on the ballot will be a proposal to spend $130,000 to finance the purchase of two school buses as replacements. The state aid for the principal and interest can be as high as 90 percent, meaning the local share is approximately $13,000 for two buses.
• Greene Central Schools 2008-09 budget is $22,045,124, a 6.27 percent increase over 2007-08, according to figures in the May newsletter. There will be no increase in taxes.
School Business Manager Mark Rubitski said major expense factors impacting this year’s budget include heating and diesel fuel, health insurance and special education costs.
“I think we have a good, solid budget,” said Rubitski, adding that the school hasn’t had to cut educational programming. “We’ve been able to maintain or improve upon several programs.”
This is the second consecutive year district tax payers will see a zero percent increase in the tax levy. The district used $57,000 in debt-service funds to off-set the spending increase.
• Norwich City Schools taxpayers will see an increase in the tax levy of 1.45 percent if the budget is approved tomorrow. The total budget is $37,537,314.
Officials had proposed a zero percent tax levy increase, but chose to offer the 1.45 percent increase rather than cut certain programs and positions.
• Oxford Academy and Central Schools adopted a $17.1 million budget for 2008-09 that will raise school taxes an estimated 6.5 percent. The budget reflects a 4.1 percent increase in overall spending from last year, bringing the school tax levy to $265,720.
Business Manager Harold Covey said historically the levy percentage has gone down 1.5 to 2.5 percent after the numbers are readjusted in August.
Administrators cut $108,000 in funding for a number of new positions and programs – such as a new custodians position, two-part-time assistants, the bowling team and a university level language course – to bring the levy to 6.5 percent.
That’s because state aid numbers came in $253,439 less than what was proposed and administrators were faced with what would have been a 10.16 percent tax increase.
• Otselic Valley’s proposed budget totals $8,837,381 for the 2008/2009 school year. The proposed budget suggests an increase of $658,539 from the 2007/2008 budget, which totaled $8,178,842.
Although the budget increase is approximately 6 percent, due to a positive state aid situation, the proposed tax levy increase is the lowest the budget has seen in years, totaling 3.1 percent.
Superintendent Larry Thomas explained that the budget increases are the result of increased fuel and utility costs, health insurance and because the school is trying to recover from the contingency budget that was adopted last year. The OV budget vote will be held in the Georgetown Elementary School this year.
• Sherburne-Earlville Central Schools is proposing a budget of $26,563,214 for the 2008-09 school year, an increase of $1,054,940 from the 2007-08 school year. The proposed budget would bring a tax levy increase of 3.95 percent.
• Unadilla Valley Central School is proposing a $19,826,092 budget, a tax levy increase of 4.34 percent.
A loss of $250,000 in state aid was listed as a major factor in the seven 7 increase.
There is also a proposition to purchase one new 66 passenger bus, a 30 passenger bus, a 30 passenger wheelchair bus, and a mini-van at a total cost not to exceed $233,000.
– Staff writers Jill Kraft and Jessica Lewis contributed to this report.
Many district administrators blame high fuel and insurance costs for budget increases this year.
Here’s a glance at local school budgets:
• Afton Central Schools voters will decide on a $14,108,903 spending plan for next year. That represents a 3.84 percent tax levy increase.
Overall, it’s a $628,813, or 4.66 percent increase over the 2007-08 budget.
School Board members and Superintendent Elizabeth Briggs say they “worked hard” to keep the budget below the cost of living index, which is 3.98 percent.
There will be cuts in some areas, including elementary summer school, travel/conferences, four aid positions, athletics, and some equipment and supplies.
There is one proposition on the ballot to purchase a 27-passenger bus with wheelchair capability at an amount not to exceed $96,000. State transportation aid will reimburse the school for 90 percent of the cost.
• Bainbridge-Guilford Central Schools is presenting a budget of $16,501,488 for 2008-09. That represents a 5.5 percent budget increase and a 1.9 percent tax levy increase.
The budget allows the district to continue present programs and adds one Math/Computer Technology teacher, Superintendent Karl Brown said, adding that there is funding to cover increasing special education enrollments and contractual obligations for faculty and staff.
Also on the ballot will be a proposal to spend $130,000 to finance the purchase of two school buses as replacements. The state aid for the principal and interest can be as high as 90 percent, meaning the local share is approximately $13,000 for two buses.
• Greene Central Schools 2008-09 budget is $22,045,124, a 6.27 percent increase over 2007-08, according to figures in the May newsletter. There will be no increase in taxes.
School Business Manager Mark Rubitski said major expense factors impacting this year’s budget include heating and diesel fuel, health insurance and special education costs.
“I think we have a good, solid budget,” said Rubitski, adding that the school hasn’t had to cut educational programming. “We’ve been able to maintain or improve upon several programs.”
This is the second consecutive year district tax payers will see a zero percent increase in the tax levy. The district used $57,000 in debt-service funds to off-set the spending increase.
• Norwich City Schools taxpayers will see an increase in the tax levy of 1.45 percent if the budget is approved tomorrow. The total budget is $37,537,314.
Officials had proposed a zero percent tax levy increase, but chose to offer the 1.45 percent increase rather than cut certain programs and positions.
• Oxford Academy and Central Schools adopted a $17.1 million budget for 2008-09 that will raise school taxes an estimated 6.5 percent. The budget reflects a 4.1 percent increase in overall spending from last year, bringing the school tax levy to $265,720.
Business Manager Harold Covey said historically the levy percentage has gone down 1.5 to 2.5 percent after the numbers are readjusted in August.
Administrators cut $108,000 in funding for a number of new positions and programs – such as a new custodians position, two-part-time assistants, the bowling team and a university level language course – to bring the levy to 6.5 percent.
That’s because state aid numbers came in $253,439 less than what was proposed and administrators were faced with what would have been a 10.16 percent tax increase.
• Otselic Valley’s proposed budget totals $8,837,381 for the 2008/2009 school year. The proposed budget suggests an increase of $658,539 from the 2007/2008 budget, which totaled $8,178,842.
Although the budget increase is approximately 6 percent, due to a positive state aid situation, the proposed tax levy increase is the lowest the budget has seen in years, totaling 3.1 percent.
Superintendent Larry Thomas explained that the budget increases are the result of increased fuel and utility costs, health insurance and because the school is trying to recover from the contingency budget that was adopted last year. The OV budget vote will be held in the Georgetown Elementary School this year.
• Sherburne-Earlville Central Schools is proposing a budget of $26,563,214 for the 2008-09 school year, an increase of $1,054,940 from the 2007-08 school year. The proposed budget would bring a tax levy increase of 3.95 percent.
• Unadilla Valley Central School is proposing a $19,826,092 budget, a tax levy increase of 4.34 percent.
A loss of $250,000 in state aid was listed as a major factor in the seven 7 increase.
There is also a proposition to purchase one new 66 passenger bus, a 30 passenger bus, a 30 passenger wheelchair bus, and a mini-van at a total cost not to exceed $233,000.
– Staff writers Jill Kraft and Jessica Lewis contributed to this report.
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