June 4, 2012 – On Tuesday, June 19, residents of the Stillwater Central School District will vote on a revised budget proposal of $21,106,661 for the 2012-13 school year.
The revised budget proposal is $135,077 less than the original proposal that was defeated in May, and decreases spending over the current year by $200,710 or 0.94 percent.
Residents will vote on the revised budget proposal on Tuesday, June 19, the date set statewide for school budget revotes. Polls will be open from 12 noon to 9 p.m. in the middle school gymnasium (Note: This is a different location than the May 2012 budget vote. This location is where budget votes have been held in years past).
If voters approve the revised spending plan, the tax levy—the total amount of money a school district can raise through property taxes—would increase by 1.49 percent. As with the defeated budget proposal, this proposed tax levy increase exceeds the district’s allowable tax levy limit set by the new state tax “cap” law, and requires 60 percent voter approval to pass. Learn more about tax levy cap law
The revised budget proposal reflects a $123,000 savings in borrowing costs, the deletion of an $11,020 fund set aside for unexpected field trip costs, and the elimination of the Math Club at the middle school. This is on top of the more than $65,000 in net reductions that were part of the budget that was defeated in May. Learn more
If the revised budget is defeated on June 19, the district would be forced to adopt a contingent budget. Under contingency, the district would have to cut spending by another $126,338 to meet the prior year’s tax levy, as the law states. This could include cutting an additional staff position and making reductions to clubs and sports. Learn more
“There is no easy answer to the challenge of how to provide the quality of education our children deserve at a price the community can afford,” Superintendent Dr. Stanley Maziejka said. “I encourage everyone in the community to come out to express your choice, whatever it may be, at the polls on June 19.”
Even though a majority of voters supported the original budget proposal back in May, the approval rate of 56 percent did not reach the 60 percent approval threshold required by the new state tax levy “cap” law.
