Budget includes 2.23 tax levy increase, cutting 92 positions
Superintendent Jeanne Dangle presented the 2010-11 Baldwinsville Central School District budget to the Board of Education during the March 29 meeting. The proposed budget, which included cutting 92.95 positions and increasing the tax levy by 2.57 percent (from $46.78 million in 2009-10 to $47.98 million in 2010-11), is $93,669,512. This represents a zero percent increase from last year’s budget.
If approved, the Lysander, Van Buren and Clay tax rates should increase by 2.57 percent. This is equivalent to an approximate $50 increase for a home assessed at $100,000.
While the budget proposes eliminating 92 positions, many are held by individuals who are retiring this year and whose positions will not be reassigned, which results in a net lay-off of 29 employees. Major factors affecting the proposed budget include declining enrollment and a loss of $3.2 million in state aid.
“It’s a tough time in New York State, but the board’s first and foremost goal is to maintain quality programs for our students,” Dangle said.
In addition to raising the tax levy, the proposed budget includes the use of $4.16 million in savings ($1.5 million from the appropriation fund balance and $2.66 million from the appropriation reserves), which is a $2 million increase from what the district used in last year’s budget.
“This is, I believe, a prudent use of our savings,” said James Rodems, the assistant superintendent for management services.
The proposed budget also includes Proposition Two, which proposes to purchase six busses (four 65-passenger and two 30-passenger) at a cost of $647,000. In order to maintain the 100-plus bus fleet, the district proposes purchasing 11 to 14 busses per year. However, due to the economic situation, the district reduced new bus purchases last year to eight and this year to six. Proposition Two is a separate item in the district budget vote.
The Board of Education adopted the budget at last night’s meeting increasing the tax levy to 2.23 percent rather than the proposed 2.57 percent.
A public hearing regarding the budget will be held at 7 p.m. May 11, followed by the district-wide budget vote from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday May 18 at Baker High School. For more information about specific components of the proposed budget, visit bville.org and click on “Budget Info” in the left column.
