Here’s an overview of the 2020-21 budget
June 19, 2019:
Thank You, Scotia-Glenville!
The 2020-21 budget was approved today by a margin of 2,403 to 1,184, 67% to 33%.
The bus purchase proposal was approved by a vote of 2,294 to 1,287, 64% to 36%.
For the Board of Education, the top THREE vote getters were elected:
- David Bucciferro, 2,267
- Richard Frederick, 2,247
- Pamela Carbone, 2,095
Kimberly Boucher Furnish received 2,078 votes
What’s in the 2020-21 budget?
This newsletter will be mailed to all community members after the June 1 public hearing on the 2020-21 budget.All Scotia-Glenville registered voters have been mailed an absentee ballot for voting this year. The ballots should be returned by 5 p.m. on June 9 to be counted. If you are a qualified voter and did not receive an absentee ballot, please call (518) 347-3600 ext. 73102 or email bdelong@sgcsd.net.
The ballot includes the following proposals:
- $58,160,883 budget for 2020-21 – a $1,205,143 or 2.1% spending increase with a 2.66% tax levy increase. The tax bill on a $160,000 home would increase by an estimated $99 per year or $8.25 per month.
- $465,000 to purchase six buses – two 35-passenger buses, one 30-passenger vehicle, one 24-passenger wheel chair bus, one 72-passenger bus and one 7-passenger suburban (see page 6). There is no tax impact for this purchase in the 2020-21 budget.
- Select THREE candidates for the Board of Education. Four candidates are seeking election: Kimberly Boucher Furnish, David Bucciferro, Pamela Carbone and Richard Frederick.
Read more about the budget (pages 1, 2, 4, 5), Board of Education candidates (page 6) and the bus proposal (page 6) in this newsletter. Questions and Answers are on page 3. This will be mailed to all residents.
This is the beginning article in the newsletter…
2020-21 budget proposal preserves all programs and staff despite state aid cuts
Community to vote by absentee ballot on the $58.1 million spending plan on June 9; typical tax bill would rise by $8.25 per month
Before the cornonavirus (COVID-19) threw the school year into quarantine, Superintendent Susan Swartz met a challenge that she has often had to face – how to preserve programs for students while closing a school budget shortfall.
That annual challenge now pales compared to reality.
Since then, as families have struggled and businesses have closed during this crisis, Scotia-Glenville has provided thousands of breakfasts and lunches to families, provided Chromebook laptop computers to more than 400 families and arranged for child care for first responders who are on the front lines of fighting the virus.
The slight increase in state aid promised in January has disappeared and may be followed by cuts in the coming months as the state tries to right its budgetary ship.
Because of conservative guidance over the school district’s finances over several years, and a healthy fund balance, Scotia-Glenville administrators believe they will be able to keep the same services and programs that now exist in place for the next school year. While many
other area school districts are cutting programs and staff, S-G should not need to do that.
“These are definitely uncertain times,” said Swartz. “We are hoping to preserve our programs as best we can through this situation. This is not the time to decimate programs and eliminate offerings for our students. We went through this kind of situation during the 2008 recession, with state aid cuts and an economy in turmoil, and it took years to restore our lost programs.”
Read the rest of this story and information about the Board of Education candidates in the budget newsletter.