F-M residents to vote May 16 on proposed budget, other propositions

The Fayetteville-Manlius School District is proposing a 2017-18 budget that is under the district’s tax levy limit and restrains spending to a 1.39 percent increase.

The proposed $80,728,938 million budget, which will go before voters May 16, increases spending $1,109,197 compared to the 2016-17 school year. It carries a tax levy increase of 1.96 percent, or $1,145,787. The district’s tax levy limit increase, or “cap,” is projected at 1.97 percent.

The tax levy is the amount of money the district collects from property owners within the district to support the school budget. It is one of two primary revenue sources for the district. The other is state aid.

While aid figures released by the state budget office show that F-M’s foundation aid, which is the district’s base operating aid from the state, is estimated to increase in 2017-18 by $250,036, the district is projecting it will actually receive $35,440 less in overall total state aid compared to F-M’s current actual 2016-17 state aid budget.

The district anticipates decreased spending in reimbursable budget areas, such as transportation and BOCES services, which would then decrease the amount of state aid F-M receives.

Also, F-M is not receiving the amount of state aid that it should based on the outcome of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, said Michael Vespi, F-M’s assistant superintendent for business services. The state should be allocating $13,576,843 to the district, instead of the $9,375,451 approved by the Legislature, he said.

The administration is proposing to use $725,000 of fund balance as revenue to offset its 2017-18 projected expenses and is recommending the following cost containments that would keep the proposed budget from increasing by an additional $1,104,231:

•$489,231: technology staff changes.

•$300,000: salary reductions from retirement breakage, attrition.

•$250,000: reduction in employee benefit rates.

•$65,000: reduced gas and electric costs due to lower rates.

Also on the ballot

Voters will also have the opportunity to weigh in on the following proposition items that will be on the ballot:

•School bus purchase proposition: $639,081.

•Fayetteville Free Library budget proposition: $1,862,207.

•Manlius Library budget proposition: $1,299,356.

•Creation of a new Capital Reserve Fund.

•Use of Fayetteville Elementary School unexpended capital project funds: $817,467.

•Three seats on the F-M Board of Education.