Board of Education sets final tax rates for 2003-04;
keeps promise to the community

June 3, 2003 results

Thank You Scotia-Glenville Community!

The 2003-04 budget was APPROVED with a vote of 2,127 in favor to 1,680 against on Tuesday, June 3. That's 56% in favor and 44% against.

The bus purchase proposal was APPROVED with a vote of 2,134 in favor and 1,583 against. That's 56% in favor and 44% against

Incumbents Karen Bradley and John Carpenter were RE-ELECTED to fourth terms with 2,518 votes and 2,461 votes, respectively. Jerry Moore received 1,616 votes.
Bradley received 66.1% of the vote, Carpenter, 64.6% and Moore, 42.4%.

The voter turnout of 3,810 was a RECORD for Scotia-Glenville. The 1999 building proposition vote saw 3,681 cast ballots. The next largest turnout, 3,595, was in 2001 for the budget vote.

How to get involved

The public vote on the budget has been changed to Tuesday, June 3, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Senior High School.

June 3 budget goes to the community

The state Legislature restored about $490,000 in state aid, leaving Scotia-Glenville still about $405,000 short in operating or basic aid from this year.

Taking into account the restored aid, the tax increase would now be 8.88% or $213 per year for the average home with a $100,000 assessment.

That works out to $17.75 per month.

The Board of Education will set the final tax rates in August and has historically set the rates lower than was projected at the budget vote.

Since 1998, the average Scotia-Glenville school tax increase has been 2.7%.

Here is a fact sheet detailing the budget (the document is in Microsoft Word).

Here is the powerpoint presentation made at the public hearing on May 20.

Here are questions and answers about the 2003-04 budget.

Here is the revised Tartan Report newsletter about the budget.

Revised budget notice to be mailed.

"S-G tax rate hike reduced by board"
Daily Gazette article, May 28, 2003

The information BELOW details the budget development process and includes information that was accurate at the time but has changed.

The correct information is ABOVE.

Budget adopted by Board of Education April 14

On April 14, the Board of Education unanimously approved a budget of $35.42 million and would raises taxes between 9.7% and 13.1%, depending on whether state aid is restored.

For the owner of a $100,000 home, that would mean a tax increase of between $232.77 and $314.75 per year or $19.39 and $26.23 per month, respectively.
Since 1998, the average Scotia-Glenville school tax increase has been 2.7%.
Here is the Daily Gazette article about the meeting. The numbers above are accurate; the figures in the newspaper article do not reflect $21,800 in reductions made on April 14.

Here is the handout from the meeting that provides an overview of reductions to the original preliminary budget.

Here is the story featured in the April-May Tartan Report newsletter about the budget adoption.

Revised preliminary budget offered; cuts $1 million

Superintendent Michael J. Marcelle and the administrators presented a revised preliminary budget in which $1 million was reduced from the spending plan, including more than 20 teaching and non-teaching positions.

The Board of Education reviewed these recommendations on Monday, March 24, in front of about 75 parents, staff members and community residents. You can download them here. Here is the newspaper article from that meeting.

Before an audience of 100 parents, staff members and community residents on Monday, March 31, the board continued its deliberations over the 2003-04 budget. The board scheduled a special session at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the District Office, Preddice Parkway, Scotia to continue its discussion of the 2003-04 budget. Here is a newspaper article from that meeting.

The Board of Education is expected to adopt a budget on Monday, April 14, at the Middle School. A hearing will be held at 7 p.m. to hear comments form the community about the budget. Here is the handout that will be given out at that meeting. This reflects the board's work to date and will be used as a basis for adoption of a budget to present to the community.

Here is a summary of comments from the four community forums on March 10, 17, 24 and 31.

Contingency budget presentation

On March 3, Marcelle showed what a contingency budget would look like if the district were forced under the state's 1.9% spending cap. Here is the presentation from the meeting and a handout summarizing the possible reductions and you can download it here. Here is a newspaper article about the presentation.

The contingency budget reductions have been summarized and mailed to the community. Here is that contingent budget summary, mailed on March 17.

At the first community budget forum on March 10, there were 125 parents, teachers, students and administrators to give ideas about programs that are important to the school community. Here is the newspaper article about that meeting.

On March 17, the Board of Education held its second forum, with about 70 parents, teachers and staff in attendance. The board discussed some of its priorities for the budget. Here is the newspaper article from that meeting.

Preliminary budget presentation

Superintendent Michael J. Marcelle delivered the preliminary budget to the Board of Education on Feb. 24. Here is the presentation (in Microsoft Powerpoint) to the Board of Education. Here is a newspaper article about the presentation.

On top of that, the state has imposed a 1.9% spending cap on school spending throughout the state if a district's budget is defeated twice.

That contingency budget cap would lead to a $2.1 million reduction in the preliminary budget. That would allow Scotia-Glenville spending to rise by $582,663 in these times of skyrocketing costs for utilities, fuel, health insurance, state retirement and special education.

Here is a postcard (in Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF format) mailed to the community detailing the cap and the rising costs of doing business in education. Click here to download a free version of Acrobat Reader. Check under "download Acrobat Reader" on the Adobe mainpage.