Latest news with #schoolbudget
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Voters OK Mahopac schools' revised budget plan with no tax levy increase
Voters in the Mahopac school district overwhelmingly approved a $145.1 million school budget for 2025-26 during a June 17 re-vote, after a similar spending plan was defeated by fewer than 60 votes. The difference: the revised spending plan tapped extra state aid to avoid a tax levy increase. The original spending plan, crafted prior to state aid details being approved as part of the state budget, sought a 1% tax levy hike. Mahopac was the only school district in the Lower Hudson Valley to see its budget defeated on May 20. The original budget plan was defeated in a 1,248-1,189 vote. The June 17 vote was 1,498-610, winning more than 71% approval. Turnout for the May 20 vote was 2,390 voters; on June 17, 2,108 cast ballots. Mahopac schools: District prepares for revote on budget as local GOP gets deeper into school affairs Two other propositions were on the May ballot: Proposition 2, for $1.54 million to purchase school buses, passed by 1,246-1,190. Proposition 3, to establish a capital reserve fund not to exceed $10 million over 10 years, failed, 1,200-1,223. The proposition to establish a capital reserve fund was not put up for a re-vote. The May 20 vote also brought changes to the school board: Kyle Potter and Lucy Massafra were voted on, and incumbent Nicole Iacono was re-elected; Vincent Furfaro and Adam Savino ran again for their seats but lost. Mahopac schools serve children in portions of the towns of Carmel and Putnam Valley. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Mahopac NY voters overwhelmingly pass school budget plan on re-vote
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Schuylkill Haven school board unanimously approves 2.4 mill tax increase
Taxes are increasing for Schuylkill Haven Area School District residents. On Wednesday the school board unanimously approved a $26.4 million 2025-26 budget with a 2.4-mill increase. This brings the district's tax rate to 46.9 mills, meaning a tax bill of $4,690 for a property assessed at $100,000. Kimberly Umphrey, district manager, said at a meeting in May that an increase in state homestead/farmstead funding would provide another $49 in tax savings to the average property owner. Factoring in homestead/farmstead exclusions, the average homeowner will see an annual tax increase of $42. The budget includes a $2.5 million deficit, with the spending attributed to rising contractual salary, benefit and health insurance expenses and increasing costs for cyber charter schools and special education outplacement, officials said. 'This administrative team will do everything in our power to chip away at that deficit,' Fitzpatrick said in May. 'We do every year. We've already begun conversations about how we can share (staff) positions, how we can bring more kids back out of placement.' Last year's budget included a $1.7 million deficit, which was reduced to $320,000. Schuylkill Haven has $5.4 million in its reserve fund balance.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Biddeford voters approve $49.8M school budget
Jun. 10—Biddeford voters approved the proposed $49.8 million school budget on Tuesday. The vote was 589 in favor and 245 against, with 7 responses left blank. The fiscal year 2026 budget is up $2.5 million, or 5.39% over this year's budget, and was approved by the Biddeford School Committee on April 30. With approval of the budget, the tax rate will increase by 81 cents, bringing the total up to $15.03. This means that a median home assessed at $382,350 will have an annual property tax of $5,747, up 5.7% from this year. Cost drivers for the school budget include staff salaries, health insurance and an updated math and reading curriculum. The district anticipates adding several new positions in the fiscal year beginning in July, including a new English language learning teacher, as well as a full-time science, technology, engineering and math position and a full-time special education secretary. Creating the FY26 budget this spring presented "unprecedented challenges," Superintendent Jeremy Ray said. The primary challenge is the significant increase in Biddeford's valuation, which resulted in decreased funding from the state. With Biddeford property values deemed higher, the state believes the city is in need of less funding, and taxpayers are expected to pay more in taxes to fund the Biddeford school system. However, many families are unable to do so, Ray said. "This substantial shift in funding responsibility presents unprecedented challenges for our budget planning process as we work to maintain educational quality while being mindful of taxpayer impact," Ray said. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gray and New Gloucester voters reject school budget
Jun. 10—The towns of Gray and New Gloucester narrowly voted down a $35.4 million school budget Tuesday. The overall vote total was 1,211 in favor and 1,230 opposed, a margin of just 11 votes. In Gray, 644 voted in favor and 805 voted against, while in New Gloucester, 567 voted in favor and 425 voted against. The proposed School Administrative District 15 budget represented an increase of $2 million, or 5.9%, from the previous year. Gray Town Clerk Britt Barton told Lakes Region Now that, ahead of the vote, the budget was a hot topic among residents, with detractors saying that there has been too much left in the general fund over the years, and that there have been increases to line items that don't need them. SAD 15 Board Chair Penny Collins gave more detail on the process of crafting the budget, and which specific items were seeing an increase. She explained that most of the budget items were voted on at the towns' budget validation meeting on May 22, with all articles being passed as written, and any attempts to amend the articles downward were rejected. She said this year does not feel particularly different in terms of the community conversation, and that, while the district was optimistic about the fate of the budget, should it fail, they would simply restart the process of crafting the budget. Collins said more than three quarters of the $2 million came in the form of contracted pay increases for employees and an increase in health insurance, with the rest going towards district needs, bond payments, and adult education. Carolyn Justice won her select board race with 656 votes, with candidates Rachel L. Rumson and Joshua J. Pietrowicz receiving 562 and 400 votes respectively. Penny L. Collins won the race for MSAD #15 school board director with 712, with challenger Misty Coolidge receiving 661 votes. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Westbrook passes school budget
Jun. 10—Westbrook voters approved the city's proposed school budget Tuesday, 1,054 to 729. Mayor David Morse announced on Facebook that city voters passed the $54 million school budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The school spending plan is up about $3 million or 5.8% from the current budget. In 2024, Westbrook voters approved a $51 million school spending plan in a second referendum after a $51.7 million budget was first rejected. Voters also decided Tuesday to continue holding annual budget validation votes, with 1,304 in favor and 474 opposed. A total of 1,791 residents voted, a turnout of 13%. Copy the Story Link
