Voters to decide on school budgets

State aid increase, low tax cap among reasons for smaller tax hikes

Taxpayers in school districts throughout the area have some good news waiting for them as they head to the polls Tuesday to vote on proposed school district budgets, special propositions and school board candidates.

An increase in state aid to schools combined with declining inflation that resulted in historically low state-manadated caps on property tax hikes are among the factors being cited by officials for the trend this year of budgets with little or no tax increase. Four local districts are forwarding for voter approval spending plans with no change in the tax levy, including the Troy and Cohoes city school districts. The Hoosic Valley Central School District, meanwhile, if proposing as budget that actual cuts the tax levy by 1.1 percent.

Only one area district is looking to exceed the state tax cap, which would require the approval of 60 percent of voters. Even in that case, however, the Schodack Central School District is looking to increase the tax levy by only 2 percent, but was mandated by the state to actually decrease the total amount of local property taxes it collects by 0.3 percent.

That 2 percent proposed tax hike, along with a similar proposed increase for the Lansingburgh Central School District in Troy, is the largest increase being sought in the area. Here is a summary of the budget proposals going before voters on Tuesday, along with any special propositions on the ballot, candidates competing for spots on their respective boards of education and voting times and locations (in the school board listings, incumbents are indicated with an *):

Troy

Total budget: $112.9 million Spending increase: 4.4 percent Tax levy increase: 0 Propositions: Capital improvements to district buildings ($23.5 million)

School board race (3 3-year terms): Ann Apicella*, Brian Houle, Michael Tuttman*, Anne WagerRounds* Polling time and locations: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., schools 2, 12, 14, 16, 18, Carroll Hill School

Lansingburgh

Total budget: $45.2 million Spending increase: 3.9 percent Tax levy increase: 2 percent Propositions: None School board race (2 5-year terms): Michelle Speanburg Polling time and locations: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Lansingburgh High School, Spiegletown firehouse

Cohoes

Total budget: $41.4 million Spending increase: 2.8 percent Tax levy increase: 0 Propositions: None School board race (4 3-year terms): Andrea

Frangie*, Margaret Giller, Jeremy McDonald*, Mark Pascale Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m., Lansing, Harmony Hill, Van Schaick schools

Rensselaer

Total budget: $23.9 million Spending increase: 4.4 percent Tax levy increase: 1.6 percent Propositions: None School board race: None Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m. Rensselaer City School District auditorium

Watervliet

Total budget: $26.1 million Spending increase: 1 percent Tax levy increase: 0.25 percent

Propositions: None School board race (1 3-year term): Sheri Senecal* Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m., Watervliet Elementary School, Watervliet Elks Lodge

Averill Park

Total budget: $56.2 million Spending increase: 4.2 percent Tax levy increase: 1.6 percent Propositions: Bus and equipment purchases ($911,000) School board race (3 3-year terms): Steven Keller, Pater Schaefer*, Stuart Nippes*, Caren Rosch Polling time and locations: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Averill Park High School auxiliary gym

Berlin

Total budget: $19.6 million Spending increase: 2.4 percent Tax levy increase: 0.6 percent

Propositions: Van purchases ($125,000); middle/high school auditorium repairs ($100,000) School board race (3 3-year terms): Rachel Finney*, Sherry Bowman-Kluck, Jeff Paine* Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m., Berlin Elementary School

Brunswick

Total budget: $23.1 million Spending increase: 2.9 percent Tax levy increase: 0.9 percent Propositions: None School board race (3 3-year terms, 1 1-year term): Margaret McCarthy*, Jack Roddy*, Leah Wertz, Judy Weinman Polling time and locations: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. multipurpose room gymnasium

East Greenbush

Total budget: $90.1 million Spending increase: 2.2 percent Tax levy increase: 1.9 percent Propositions: Bus purchases ($603,000); bus bond ($340,000) School board race (3 3-year terms): Karen Curran*, James Giordano, Shay Harrison* Polling time and locations: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Belltop, Sutherland and Green Meadow elementary schools and Goff Middle School

Hoosic Valley

Total budget: $20.9 million Spending increase: 2 percent Tax levy increase: -1.1 percent Propositions: Bus purchases ($337,000); establish capital reserve fund; increase library appropriations from $25,000 to $40,000 School board race (2 4-year terms): Michael Reilly*, David Paul* Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m., elementary school gym

Hoosick Falls

Total budget: $23.6 million Spending increase: 2 percent Tax levy increase: 0 Propositions: Bus purchases ($242,000) School board race (3 3-year terms): Andrew Beaty*, Rachel Boisvert*, Joseph Patire Polling time and locations: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Hoosick Falls Central School

North Greenbush

Total budget: $2.1 million Spending increase: -0.8 percent Tax levy increase: 0 Propositions: None School board race (1 3-year term): Matthew Jaworski* Polling time and locations: 2:30 to 8:30 p.m., Little Red Schoolhouse

Schodack

Total budget: $22.1 million Spending increase: 1.6

percent

Tax levy increase: 2 percent (exceeds state tax cap) Propositions: Bus purchases ($224,000) School board race (3 3-year terms): Bruce Romanchak*, George Warner*, Mary Yurista, Dan Grandinetti* Polling time and locations: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Maple Hill High School gym

Wynantskill

Total budget: $9,1 million Spending increase: 2.6 percent Tax levy increase: 0.8 percent Propositions: Bus purchases ($164,000) School board race (2 3-year terms): Cathleen Castle*, Andrew Lanesey* Polling time and locations: Noon to 9 p.m., Gardner-Dickinson School

Mark Robarge can be reached at 290-8362.