Voters in local school districts will head to the polls today to vote on budget plans and board of education seats.
Here is a quick guide to the voting:
Little Falls
The Little Falls City School District’s proposed 2009-10 budget maintains current academic and extracurricular programs while continuing the multi-year technology program and covering the increased cost of health insurance.
The $20,138,088 budget represents a spending increase of $640,592, or 3.29 percent, and calls for a 2.44 percent increase in the tax levy.
Revenues other than real property taxes are anticipated to be $12,759,295, which are primarily comprised of state aid in the amount of $12,478,882. The total represents a $130,000 increase in state aid from the current year.
The tax levy is projected to be $7,251,213, an increase of $173,022 from the 2008-09 budget.
District Business Manager Clete McLaughlin said that the proposed tax levy increase will result in homeowners with a residence assessed at $50,000 and a $30,000 Basic STAR exemption paying $12.20 more in taxes in 2009.
“Our proposed budget is $166,943.68 below the contingent budget allowed by the state,” said Superintendent of Schools Louis Patrei. “That means if the budget is defeated, we will not be able to put out a budget that calls for a tax levy increase higher than 2.44 percent.”
The district was able to save money by not filling seven of nine positions to be lost by retirement at the end of the current school year. The seven positions include five teachers and two teacher’s aides. The proposed budget also includes a freeze on field trips and conferences.
Current board of education members William Dodge and Richard Salamone are unopposed for two three-year seats.
In addition to the budget vote and board of education election, voters will be asked to approve an additional $4,950 in funding for the Little Falls Public Library. While the school district collects the funds, the library funding proposal is independent of the school budget.
If the request is approved, the resulting $78,950 levy will be collected yearly. The $4,950 increase is projected to have the following effect on tax rates, per thousand dollars of assessed valuation: city of Little Falls, $0.08; town of Danube, $0.02; town of Fairfield, $0.02; town of Herkimer, $0.02; town of Little Falls, $0.02; town of Manheim, $0.03; and town of Stark, $0.02.
The library has had only two increases in funding in the ten years since 1998.
The polls are open from noon-9 p.m. in the middle school gymnasium.
Dolgeville
The proposed 2009-10 Dolgeville Central School District budget calls for an increase in spending of 8.79 percent compared to the 2008-09 budget, and an increase of two percent in the amount to be raised by local property taxes.
Of the increase in spending, more than five percent is due to payments on the Herkimer BOCES capital project and the district’s EXCEL project.
According to Superintendent of Schools Ted Kawryga, exclusive of these appropriations the spending increase would only be three percent.
“The thing to remember about these project expenditures is that the district will receive the money back in same year aid,” said Kawryga. “So while we have to show the expenditures in our budget, they will more or less be a wash due to moneys received back from the state.”
The $16,766,042 budget includes the use of $827,900 in unreserved fund balance to lower the tax levy. With this usage, the district’s total unreserved fund balance will be $575,154, or 3.4 percent, which is below the four percent level allowed by the state.
“While we do not want to call this a ‘bare bones’ budget, it is similar to one,” said Kawryga. “We did not add anything new, nor did we subtract anything other than two part-time positions. This budget simply maintains what we currently have.”
As for what is driving up school costs, Kawryga cited health insurance and benefits, special education costs for tuition and transportation, payroll and pension benefits, increased costs in contractual expenses, equipment and supplies and the cost of fuel for heating and transportation.
Voting on the budget and for one five-year seat on the board of education will take place from 2-8 p.m. in the high school lobby.
Donna Christensen is the only name on the ballot, as she looks to fill the seat currently held by Dr. Diana Ayers-Darling.
Oppenheim-Ephratah
The Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School District’s proposed budget calls for an increase in spending of 3.36 percent compared to the 2008-09 budget, and an increase of 1.46 percent in the amount to be raised by local property taxes.
The tax levy for 2009-10 is projected to be $2.40 million, compared to $2.36 million in the current year.
Spending is projected to be $8.28 million, compared to $8.01 million in the current year’s budget.
The district will realize about $100,000 in savings by returning special education students transported to other schools to O-E, according to District Treasurer Karen Mettler. In addition, a new health insurance plan approved by teachers and staff will save the district about $150,000.
The only change in staffing anticipated for 2009-10 is that one retiring mathematics teacher will not be replaced.
The only program change is the elimination of summer school.
“We worked very hard to minimize the impact of escalating costs over which we have no control,” said Superintendent of Schools Dan Russom. “Everyone realizes we have to work together to maintain programs at an affordable cost.”
Voting on the budget and for two three-year seats on the board of education will take place from noon-8 p.m. in the school’s main lobby.
Jennifer Frasier and incumbent David Rackmyre, Jr. are the only two names on the ballot.
In addition to the budget vote and board of education election, voters will be asked to participate in a short exit poll.
The wording is as follows: “The Oppenheim-Ephratah Central School Board of Education is considering participation in a merger study with neighboring school districts. Are you in favor?” There will be space for voters to comment on this question.
St. Johnsville
St. Johnsville Central School District voters will be asked to approve a a budget that calls for spending of $9.4 million, a 1.56 percent increase from the 2008-09 budget. The projected tax levy increase of 1.91 percent is only the fourth tax levy increase in the past 14 years.
Superintendent of Schools Christine Battisti said federal stimulus funding was important in reducing a potentially large increase in the tax levy.
In light of declining enrollment and the budget situation, Battisti said, two full-time teaching positions and one part-time teaching position have been abolished and two teaching positions have been reduced from full-time to part-time.
The district has approximately 450 students in kindergarten to grade 12, a decline of 30 students since the start of the school year.
In addition to staff reduction, the school board is looking at the possibility of cutting non-instructional positions; is reducing the supply budget and will likely reduce the number of field trips; instituted a budget freeze earlier in the year to allow for a build-up of fund balance, which could be used to restore some of the supply budget and will continue to explore shared services such as classes, purchasing and transportation with the Fort Plain and Oppenheim-Ephratah school districts. The board voted to combine most sports teams with O-E for the 2009-10 school year.
The budget vote will be held in the lobby of D.H. Robbins Elementary School from 1-9 p.m. Voters will also be asked to choose one school board member for a five-year term. The names of Valerie Dolan and Patricia Christensen are on the ballot.