Taxpayers within the Port Byron Central School District may see a slight increase to their school taxes if the proposed 2009-10 budget is approved.

The district's board of education has unanimously adopted a proposed budget of $18,381,057, a 1.59 percent increase over the current year's spending, or $287,496.

This budget carries an estimated tax levy increase of 1.24 percent.

Superintendent Neil O'Brien said he and district leadership were very cognizant of the economic troubles people are having and built a budget that reduced

operating costs to ease the burden on local taxpayers and took into consideration the declining school enrollment while still maintaining quality education.

The district will reduce its staff - mostly instructional - by seven positions, achieved mostly through attrition or by not renewing the contracts of people filling one-year appointments, O'Brien said. An occupational therapist previously employed full time by the district will next year be shared between Port Byron and the Cato-Meridian Central School District.

“We're able to maintain the academic program while reducing staff,” he said, “and that's mainly due to population decreasing.

All academic programs will continue next year, including universal pre-kindergarten, the after-school program, summer literacy program and Sunrise Scholars, a program that gives elementary school students some extra help before the start of the school day. The district will also continue with its curriculum work.

A budget hearing is slated for 5 p.m. May 12 in the junior-senior high school library, 30 Maple Ave., Port Byron. Taxpayers will vote on the proposed budget during the statewide vote May 19.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net