Voorheesville Central School District residents approved increasing taxes by more than 3 percent under a $22.56 million spending plan for next school year.
The approved 2013-14 budget increases spending by almost $694,000, or 3.14 percent, and holds a property tax levy increase of 3.23 percent, which is within the district’s tax cap limit. Around 57 percent of voters approved the budget on Tuesday, May 21, by a vote of 459 for and 341 votes against. Voters also approved the district’s bus purchase and fund reserve transfer propositions.
Superintendent Teresa Thayer Snyder was pleased residents passed the budget and thanked them for their support.
“We have endured dramatic decreases in state aid, which has accumulative negative impact,” Snyder said in a statement to The Spotlight. “We have worked really hard to protect our classroom instruction and not a single teacher was cut this year.”
Most area school districts are projected to receive more state aid next school year, but Voorheesville is receiving nearly $196,000 less, or a 3.7 percent reduction, for a total of $5.1 million.
“If there is not some adjustment in state aid distribution, especially in light of the numerous expensive expectations imposed on schools, it will become increasingly likely that the budgeting processes will be more complex and confounding,” Snyder said. “Eventually, schools will be faced with making even more difficult choices.”
There were two main reasons the district will receive less state aid next school year, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Gregory Diefenbach. In the district’s 2012-13 budget, full-day kindergarten was implemented, and Voorheesville received almost $250,000 to help with the transition. That one-time funding boost left a gap this year, and the district’s transportation aid was also affected by the change.
Switching to full-day K reduced the number of daily bus routes. Transportation aid is based on the previous school year’s expenses, so as the district realized savings it also sees reduced aid. The reduction in transportation aid was more than $60,000.
The school board cut around $316,000 from the budget, while largely avoiding classroom instruction. Some additional savings were also attainted through restructuring, such as cutting natural gas costs by $33,000 due to joining a larger consortium and streamlining services contracts.
Some reductions include eliminating one bus route and cutting field trips by 50 percent for $24,5000 in savings; reducing clerical work time by one month for a $19,000 savings; eliminating four repeatedly inactive clubs; reducing humanities funding for speakers, supplies and stipends; and reducing equipment purchases by $41,500.
One reduction potentially reaching the classroom is cutting funds allocated for substitutes by $37,000. District officials said approximately $90,000 is budgeted for substitutes next school year.
The cut was made to avoid directly impacting employees, Board President Timothy Blow said. Instead of calling a substitute, Blow said classes could be covered by a study hall with classroom work to complete, or a test could be given.
Voters approved purchasing two 60-passenger buses by a margin of 471 votes to 326 votes. Voters approved transferring up to $250,000 from unallocated fund balance to the district’s repair reserve by a vote of 511 to 275.
Two uncontested incumbents were reelected for four-year terms on the school board: C. James Coffin (527 votes) and Cheryl L. Dozier (545 votes). Coffin has severed on the board since 1986 and this will be Dozier’s second term.