The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Voters asked toOK $46.98M budget
Proposed $46.98 million budget includes $2.49% tax increase
ONEIDA, N.Y. >> The Oneida City School District is asking voters to approve a $46.98 million budget for the 2019-20 school year.
The proposed budget represents a $432,389 increase over the current budget, and carries with it a $17.89 million tax levy — a 2.49 percent increase. That amounts to a $59.70 increase per year on a $100,000 home.
Superintendent Mary-Margaret Zehr said the budget focuses on district goals and aims to make sure the taxpayers “are getting the best they can.”
“This community supports the kids tremendously,” she said. “We have our students participating in a lot of things. We have some amazing things in this district.”
The proposed budget does not cut any programs, but does reflect a handful of employee changes, including the newly-approved executive principal position. In order to address special education needs, the district is adding
a full-time special education teacher, a part-time special education teacher at Otto Shortell Middle School, English as a Second Language instructor, and aides for the elementary libraries. The district will not fill the positions of two Willard Prior teachers, a high school English teacher, and two librarians, all of whom are retiring.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Support Services James Rowley said state aid this year has increased from previous years, allowing the district to rely less on its general fund balance. “This year the Legislature was kind to smaller school districts,” he said.
Foundation Aid was increased by $ 537,000, a “substantial increase” from the 2018-19 budget, Rowley said. And even though Budget Aid decreased, the overall increase in state aid was $201,000. That meant the district could pull less from its general fund balance, which sits somewhere north of $10 million.
“The district should have $6 million in the bank minimum,” Rowley said. “I’m comfortable knowing we have enough to take care of the ups and downs.”
Rowley said Oneida budgeted to pull about $2.47 million from the balance to address any needs in the district not covered by revenue, but he hopes not to have to use that much.
“Budgeting is more of an art than a science,” Rowley said. “We strive to be conservative. The ultimate goal would be to break even every year.”
In addition to the proposed budget, voters will also be asked to approve a proposition for leasing five new 70-seat buses for $109,000 for a term of five years.
Voters will also be asked to vote on one five-year school board seat, currently held by Alicia Lippert. Lippert is running against Heather Denby.
The budget and school board vote will be Tuesday, May 21, from noon to 9 p.m. Eligible voters who live south of the New York State Thruway will vote at Oneida High School, and voters who live north of the Thruway will vote at Durhamville Elementary School.