Voters in the Jordan-Elbridge Central School District approved an amended budget Tuesday with a tax levy increase only slightly more than what a state-mandated contingency budget would have meant.
The revised budget passed 684-479.
Assistant superintendent for business and finance Bill Hamilton said Tuesday night that district officials were relieved and grateful that the new budget passed but said that he recognized the significance of so many people voting against it.
“Times are tough, and people are understandably concerned and worried,” he said.
Hamilton said the 479 people who voted no were not taken lightly.
“It's important to understand what their concerns are,” he said.
The budget passed cuts by $200,000 the amount the district will need to raise by taxes and maintains all current instructional programming while trimming $80,000 from equipment purchases, $37,000 in administrative support expenses.
The revised budget of $26,762,966 is a 5.04 percent increase over the previous year and carries a tax levy increase of 2.43 percent.
Had this proposal also been rejected, the district would have been forced to find more spending cuts with a budget that would have increased spending 3.47 percent and carried a tax levy increase of 2.28 percent.
“Everything's in place,” Hamilton said. “We were able to preserve all of our programming. We did a little belt-tightening.”
The district's original budget proposal, defeated May 20 by 200 votes, would have increased spending 5.79 percent and carried an estimated tax levy increase of 4.33 percent.
Voter turnout was slightly higher Tuesday than for the May 20 vote that saw 667 people vote no and 462 vote yes.
District superintendent Marilyn Dominick said at that time that some voters may have believed they were rejecting a proposed $28 million capital project - much of it covered by state money - that included building and athletic field renovations among other projects.
The district then indefinitely postponed the capital project vote so that the school board and the public could concentrate on the district's operating budget.
Assistant superintendent for business and finance Bill Hamilton said Tuesday night that district officials were relieved and grateful that the new budget passed but said that he recognized the significance of so many people voting against it.
“Times are tough, and people are understandably concerned and worried,” he said.
Hamilton said the 479 people who voted no were not taken lightly.
“It's important to understand what their concerns are,” he said.
The budget passed cuts by $200,000 the amount the district will need to raise by taxes and maintains all current instructional programming while trimming $80,000 from equipment purchases, $37,000 in administrative support expenses.
The revised budget of $26,762,966 is a 5.04 percent increase over the previous year and carries a tax levy increase of 2.43 percent.
Had this proposal also been rejected, the district would have been forced to find more spending cuts with a budget that would have increased spending 3.47 percent and carried a tax levy increase of 2.28 percent.
“Everything's in place,” Hamilton said. “We were able to preserve all of our programming. We did a little belt-tightening.”
The district's original budget proposal, defeated May 20 by 200 votes, would have increased spending 5.79 percent and carried an estimated tax levy increase of 4.33 percent.
Voter turnout was slightly higher Tuesday than for the May 20 vote that saw 667 people vote no and 462 vote yes.
District superintendent Marilyn Dominick said at that time that some voters may have believed they were rejecting a proposed $28 million capital project - much of it covered by state money - that included building and athletic field renovations among other projects.
The district then indefinitely postponed the capital project vote so that the school board and the public could concentrate on the district's operating budget.
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.