The Scotia-Glenville School District’s proposed budget was one of a few in New York defeated by voters this week. After residents failed to override the tax cap, the Board of Education must decide its next course of action.
The proposed $67 million budget would have increased the tax levy by 5.09 percent. Since that number is above the 3.25 percent tax cap set by the state, it needed a 60 percent supermajority to pass. It got 55 percent amid higher turnout from last year.
In the aftermath of the result, the Board of Education met Thursday to discuss its next steps. Members were presented with two options that reduce the total by about $600,000.
Option A would ensure the district keeps two reading teachers and a librarian employed, but makes cuts to the district’s Buildings and Grounds staff, coaches, and Special Ed BOCES tuition.
Option B prevents those cuts but axes the reading teachers and librarian.
Both scenarios would increase the tax levy by 3.25 percent, meaning a simple voter majority would be needed for it to pass.
Board members did not want to consider a contingency budget and that scenario was not presented.
Andrew Giaquinto, the district’s business manager, presented the options to the Board. He says a contingency budget would be devastating.
“Things that aren’t mandated, could go, sports, field trips, kindergarten, they could go. They could stay if you find it in other areas but you’ve gotta maintain the core; reading, writing, and arithmetic and things like that you know. It’s a tough thing for boards,” he said.
Now, board members must decide to put a new or identical budget before voters on June 17th or immediately adopt a contingency budget.
If the budget fails again the Board must adopt a contingency budget.
