By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
Voters in the East Syracuse Minoa School District have decided to approve a total budget of $76.7 million with a vote of 785 “yes” to 221 “no” as a result of the May 17 budget election.
The adopted budget reflects a 2.75 percent overall increase from last year’s budget of $74.6 million, and an estimated tax levy increase of .22 percent. Taxpayers in the ESM School District can expect to see a slight increase of 12 cents in the 2016-17 school tax rate, which is estimated to be $25.38 per $1,000 home assessed value.
ESM expects to receive a 3.03 percent increase in New York State Aid in 2016-17, not including their building aid, totaling to about $22.6 million. About $880,000 is proposed to be taken from the fund balance.
Candidates D. Paul Waltz, with 790 votes, and Kay Gallery, with 841 votes, were elected to the school board with terms of four years. A third candidate, Michael Farnsworth, received 701 votes and was elected to the board in a seat with a one-year term.
In addition, a proposal to purchase six vehicles for the school at an amount not to exceed $633,232 was approved with a vote of 781 to 226.
A budget totaling $314,663 for the East Syracuse Library was approved with a vote of 804 to 204, and a budget totaling $225,000 for the Minoa Public Library was approved with a vote of 823 to 184.
