Votes on school budgets, board seats

Proposed tax levy up 2.34 percent in $59 million plan

Approval of 60 percent of New Paltz school district voters will be required Tuesday, May 16, for a proposed $59 million district budget to be adopted.

Under the proposal, the district property tax levy is projected to increase by $940,000, or 2.34 percent, to $41.06 million. Overall spending is proposed to increase by $1.52 million, or 2.64 percent.

The proposed tax levy increase is $460,000 higher than the state tax cap, requiring the district to meet the 60 percent voter approval threshold. Had the increase been within the cap, a simple majority of voters would have been required for the budget to be adopted.

Voters will also elect two trustees to the Board of Education from a field of three candidates in Tuesday’s election. Voting will be from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at New Paltz High School on South Putt Corners Road.

Line items in the budget include:

• Employee benefits, $16.2 million, up $267,000, or 1.68 percent.

• Principals’ office expenses, $1.46 million, up $48,300, or 3.43 percent.

• Regular school instruction, $15.35 million, up $649,000, or 4.41 percent.

• Special education expenses, $8.33 million, up $384,300, or 4.84 percent.

• Computer assisted instruction, $1.19 million, up $29,200, or 2.52 percent.

• Guidance, $1.68 million, up $82,200, or 5.15 percent.

• Transportation, $4.13

million, up $153,700, or 3.87 percent.

• Debt service, $3.36 million, down $269,800, or 7.44 percent.

• Facilities and operations, $2.65 million, down $95,000, or 3.46 percent.

Staff changes proposed in the budget include the hiring of two additional

high school teachers; an additional sixth grade teacher; an additional library media specialist; eliminating funding for two teachers in grades kindergarten through fifth grade; and elimination of funding for a special education teacher and three aides.