The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District’s $54.8 million budget passed with 1,691 yes votes and 1,033 `no` votes, a margin of roughly 62 percent, according to Communications Specialist Christy Multer.
`I appreciate the sense of sacrifice evident in our community stepping forward to support this budget but also in our staff working together to provide an excellent education despite cutbacks,` said Superintendent Jim Schultz.
Spending in the 2011-12 budget is up 2.5 percent from 2010-11 and will result in an average property tax increase of 2.2 percent.
A bus proposition to replace four school buses at a maximum cost of $400,000 was also passed 1,712 to 988.
`The Board of Education provided a budget that spoke to the concerns we heard this year in our budget forums and budget surveys. Throughout this process, what we tried to do was to make tough choices together with our community for the sake of our students,` said Schultz.
The three Board of Education incumbents were reelected with the top vote getter being Joe Pericone (1,975), followed by John Blowers (1,846) and rounded out by Patre Kuziak (1,839). Challenger John Kelch was not elected and garnered 1,298 votes.
A $108.5 million budget was passed by Saratoga Springs City School District voters 2,319 to 659, according to spokesperson Maureen Dana.
A bus proposition also passed 2,187 to 772 and three incumbents Mia Piftzer, Frank Palumbo and Charles Locke were reelected to the Board of Education.
“