Guilderland voters passed the school district’s $87.4 million budget for the 2010-11 school year. The budget represents a 2.49 percent increase over last year’s budget and will have a tax impact of a 3.59 percent increase on the district resident’s school tax.
I’m very pleased, very pleased indeed, said Superintendent John McGuire. McGuire said that the Guilderland community has traditionally put a high value on education and that he is appreciative that the community continued that support by voting in favor of the budget.
The enacted budget for next school years comes in at $68,000 less than the budget McGuire proposed in early March, and includes the restoration of a number of programs and positions that were previously eliminated. The less expensive budget, along with the restorations were made possible by each teacher giving up a days pay for a total of $220,000, the elimination of freshman sports for a savings of $73,000 and delaying the repayment of a bond that will temporarily save the district $1,150,000.
The budget still includes the elimination of 56 full-time equivalent positions including 10 teaching, 24 teaching assistant, three supervisor, and 19 non-instructional positions. The School Board and Guilderland Chamber of Commerce are currently working on a means by which the eliminated sports programs could be funded by private donations.
District residents were drawn to the polls for a number of reasons, Jim Schermerhorn, a parent of three students in the district said that voting in favor of the budget was an investment in his children. `I have children in the school district and I wanted to support the budget,` said Schermerhorn. `I know it’s a tough year and the budget seemed reasonable given the lack of fundingit’s an investment in my children.`
County Legislator Mary Lou Donnelly said she voted for the budget because of the importance of education in the future of this country. `I always vote. I always vote for the school budget because education is the tool for the future of this country,` she said.
Other voters approached the budget with a sense of confusion. `It was originally announced that $4 million was cut from the budget, and the budget increased 3 percent and I was wondering ‘how was that,` said Stuart Gang, a Guilderland resident. `I would like them to be consistent.`
David Bilicki, a Guilderland resident whose kids used to attend school in the district, said he voted no on the budget because he felt additional sacrifice was needed from the schools given the economic climate. `It’s with very deep regret, and the first time I ever voted against a school budget,` he said.
`We are being asked as individuals to sacrifice and now I think that transcends individuals,` said Bilicki.
He said that most of his savings were lost in the economic downturn on Wall Street and that although the economic has peaks and valleys over time, he said he does not see too many peaks in the future. `As one individual, I have to manage my resources now more than ever,` said Bilicki.
The budget was formed with the assumption that the school district will see a $2.6 million reduction in state aid, as is proposed in the governor’s budget. The Senate’s version of the budget upheld the governor’s reduction and the Assembly’s version lessened the impact, however, as of yet the two houses of the legislature and the governor have yet to agree on a state spending plan.
McGuire said that if the financial situation of the school district improves, whether through state aid or other means, the decision of what to do with the money would be up to the school board. `It would either be used in one of two ways, to lower the tax rate and/or put in the rainy day fund,` he said.
McGuire said that the board could chose to dedicate the entirety of additional funds to the tax rate or rainy day fund, or it could chose to split the money between the two. He said the board could not add the money to the budget to add or restore programs and staff.
-Voters elect School Board members
Board Members Barbara Fraterrigo, Gloria Towle-Hilt, and Colleen O’Connell held on to their seats, receiving 2,474, 2,356, and 2,333 votes, respectively. Allan Simpson, who was unsuccessful in last year’s election, won the fourth seat open on the board with 2,088 votes.
Current Board Member Emilio Genzano, who was appointed in the fall to fill a seat left vacant by the death of Board Member John Dornbush, received 1,952 votes and failed to garner enough votes to remain on the board. Elijah Sharma, who ran for the school board last year as a senior at Guilderland High School, received 1,476 votes.
The new board will take the reigns on Thursday, July 1.
“