Residents in the Scotia-Glenville school district voted to pass the $47.3 million school budget and a $295,000 school bus proposition on Tuesday, May 18.
The budget results in a 3.12 percent increase in the tax levy, with a home assessed at $160,000 paying $3,276 in taxes, an increase of $99 from the current year, according to information from the district. In response to a loss of $2.3 million in state aid, the board worked to create a budget that included $2 million in spending reductions an the use of $2.2 million in fund balance to offset the loss in state aid. Budget reductions included a 25 percent reduction to all supply and equipment budget lines, reduction of general education summer school, reductions of elementary school field trips and the reduction of 19.7 full-time employment positions. The bus proposition will replace three buses bought in 1998.
The budget passed 1,404-to-1,010, while the bus purchase was approved by a vote of 1,487-to-917.
I read in the newspaper about the candidates, and I wanted to use my experience this year from that to get some change, said Tim Snapp of Glenville.
Scotia-Glenville Superintendent Susan Swartz said she is grateful to the community for coming out in support of the budget.
`I’m happy knowing that we can continue to provide quality programs and services for our children,` said Swartz. `Given that we are not entirely out of the recession [and] people are being pulled in a number of ways ` for them to come out and support the district speaks to our community and the people in the school district.`
Candidates Colleen Benedetto and Andrew Crapo were elected to the two board of education seats with three-year terms while Leslie Smith was elected to the board of education seat with a one-year term.
`I’m delighted to have been elected to the school board,` said Crapo. `I have a lot to learn and look forward to trying to make a difference with the challenges ahead.`
The board of education will meet again on Monday, May 24, at 7 p.m. at Sacandaga School in Scotia. The board will meet July 12 at 7 p.m. at the district office to reorganize for the coming school year.
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