Revised budgets on the ballot
Rensselaer drops tax hike, sports funding in new plan
Voters in the Rensselaer City School District go back to the polls Tuesday for a second vote on the proposed $27.1 million budget for the 2020-21 school that will require a supermajority of 60 percent to pass.
This proposed budget carries a 9 percent tax increase compared to the 19.5 percent rate hike planned in the original budget that was defeated 1,130 to 560 in June. District officials have said they need to deal with revenue shortfalls that are a problem that will become worse if not corrected.
“We recognize that the timing of the current fiscal situation is horrible. While we knew it would be difficult, we felt that we had to try to offer a budget that did not eliminate student opportunities. We heard loud and clear from the voters that the district’s revenue deficit cannot be solved that fast,” the district stated in its budget newsletter.
Superintendent Joseph Kardash has made personal appeals and worked to build community support to pass the reduced budget of $27.18 million.
Cutting spending out of the defeated proposed budget of $27.7 million led to $523,399 in expenses being taken out and drawing down more of the district’s financial reserves. The cuts included eliminating the district funding of $219,000 to pay for interscholastic athletics.
Under the proposed budget, the 9 percent tax increase would raise district property taxes by $100 for a home assessed at $100,000 to $1,442 for the 202021 school year from the current tax bill of $1,342.
Since the increase in the tax levy exceeds the state’s tax cap, state law requires district voters to approve the budget with at least a 60 percent majority of the vote. If the budget vote falls short of the 60 percent margin the district will be forced to go to a contingency budget.
Students are working with the Rensselaer Athletic Association and the Rensselaer Alumni Association to raise money for community supported funding for the sports program.
The district will conduct the budget revote from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. The vote will be held in person in the auditorium foyer at the school district campus.
In addition to voting on the $27.1 million budget proposal, voters will also be asked to consider approving $45,000 to lease two 72-seat school buses for the next five years.
Elsewhere
The vast majority of school budget proposals in the greater Capital Region were approved in June. Two that were not:
Fort Edward school district voters will go to the polls from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Elementary School lobby on the revised $11.65 million budget proposal. Voting will be by paper ballots, using social distancing and latest state Health Department guidance.
In June, 53 percent of the votes were “yes,” but a supermajority of 60 percent was needed because the tax cap was exceeded.
If rejected again, the budget would have to be further cut under a contingency plan, the district said on its website. Reductions would be “devastating,” it said.
“The original budget that was defeated included the reduction and elimination of over 20 positions. If the revote budget is defeated, the reductions required by a contingent budget will include all of the original reductions, as well as: the elimination of all athletics, the elimination of all extracurricular programs, the elimination of many band and chorus opportunities, the elimination of many art opportunities, and the elimination of student counseling and mental health resources,” the district said.
In the Greater Johnstown School District voters go to the polls from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Johnstown Juniorsenior High School on a $38.97 million proposal. The plan includes a 2.9 percent spending increase and a tax levy increase of 5 percent, which is above the district tax cap, so it needs a 60 percent approval.