District residents will head to the polls on Tuesday to vote on
the proposed $41.9 million budget and candidates to fill four
seats on the Board of Education.
The budget proposal includes the lowest spending - 2.17 percent
- and tax levy - 2.64 percent - increases voters have considered
in years.
Click here
to review the
projected tax levy.
Projected tentative tax rates would
be as follows under the budget
proposal:
-
Coeymans - $17.29 per $1,000
assessed property value, up 2.17%
-
Bethlehem - $18.66, up
1.91%
-
New Baltimore - $26.85, up
2.31%
-
New Scotland - $18.16, up
1.91%
Voting will take place
Tuesday from
7 a.m. until 9 p.m. in the high school.
Superintendent Vicki Wright
said the budget seeks to address the needs of students through
several measures, while also addressing the needs of property
taxpayers, said
To review a the budget in a line-item format,
click here.
More than $800,000 in expenses in the current year’s budget has
been cut from the proposed spending plan, including $101,000 in
natural gas and electricity costs as a result of energy
conservation initiatives.
However, the budget also reflects the reality of the
skyrocketing costs of fuel and other necessities.
The proposed 2008-09 school year budget includes a $309,000
increase – up to $589,750 – in funding for fuel to keep the
fleet of 55 buses on its daily appointed rounds. The latest
increase is more than the total fuel budget for the 2003-04
school year when RCS spent $110,000.
Health insurance continues to have an "unhealthy impact" on the
budget, with the district
budgeting for a $111,210 increase in health insurance costs next
year, up to $3.37 million, said Interim Business Administrator
Dennis Geisler.
Passage of the budget on May 20 would also fund:
·
The purchase of new computers to replace outdated computers, as
well as adaptive technology to further the education provided to
RCS’ disabled students.
·
Expansion of Project Lead the Way into eighth grade.
·
Increased textbook purchases to address new state mandates in
math and the needs of elementary students.
·
Creation of a summer reading program for elementary school
students identified as in need of services so that their skills
don’t regress during the summer months.
·
The purchase of a necessary, two-way radio communication system
for buses to replace the system BOCES will no longer provide,
·
The placement of an additional student in the innovation Tech
Valley High School.
The budget also proposes $20,000 to purchase a state
audit-mandated inventory control system.
Anyone with
questions on the budget proposal is encouraged to contact
Communications Coordinator Mike McCagg at 756-5200, ext. 6017
or by emailing
mmccagg@rcscsd.org.
Those with questions
on the budget can also view the question and answer session with the
superintendent online by
clicking here
