Voters go to polls today for school budgets in Orleans County
Propositions, candidates for Board of Education also on ballot
It’s school election day in Orleans County and around the state. Voters will cast ballots on proposed budgets, propositions and candidates for the Board of Education.
Here is a rundown from each district in Orleans County:
ALBION – The school district’s proposed 2026-27 budget will again be holding the line on property taxes, the 18th time in the past 20 years without a tax increase.
Registered voters in the Albion school district will go to the polls from noon to 8 p.m. at the Hoag Library, 134 South Main St. A district art show will also be on display at the library during the vote.
The district is proposing a $45,615,036 budget, which is up 1.93 percent or $864,551 from the current budget. The tax levy will stay at $8,449,039, which is $359,906 under the district’s tax cap.
- The vote today includes proposition one for the budget and proposition two to allow spending $1.5 million for buses.
- Proposition three allows the district to collect $687,760 for Hoag Library.
There are also three candidates for three seats on the Board of Education. The two candidates with the most votes get five-year terms while the candidate with the third most votes gets a one-year term.
The candidates include: Kaitlyn Panek, Jaime Allport and Michelle Waters.
HOLLEY – The school district is proposing a $32,687,000 budget that increases spending by 6.2 percent and would raise taxes by 2.5 percent. The budget is up by $1,913,000 from the current $30,774,000. The budget maintains all existing programs.
Voters will go to the polls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 19 at the Holley Middle/High School.
The district will collect $201,768 more in property taxes – from $8,070,702 to $8,272,470. That is under Holley’s allowable tax cap of 4.112 percent, school officials said the district’s budget newsletter. Holley is under the tax cap by $130,100.
The tax levy is up to account for increases in contractual and inflationary costs, and “allows us to deliver high quality instructional and extracurricular programs that are expected in our community while remaining fiscally responsible and aligned with our long-term district goals,” school officials said.
In addition to the budget, there are four propositions:
- Proposition 2 authorizes replacement school buses – one large and one small with a wheelchair lift ($374,000)
- Proposition 3 allows district to collect $217,703 for the Community Free Library
- Proposition 4 authorizes the purchase of a vacant lot adjacent to Woodlands soccer field ($12,500)
- Proposition 5 authorizes the establishment of a Capital Improvements Reserve Fund that will not exceed $10 million
There are also three candidates seeking three seats on the Board of Education. The two candidates with the most votes get three-year terms while the one with the third most votes gets a one-year term. The three-year terms begin July 1, while the shorter term starts May 20 because it’s filling a vacancy.
The candidates on the ballot include: Cecelia Pacheco Stevens, Eric DiLella and Janet Klossner.
KENDALL – The school district is proposing a $23,469,328 budget to the community. Kendall’s budget would raise taxes by 3.15 percent – from $5,162,224 to $5,324,835, an increase of $162,611.
The vote will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kendall Town Hall on May 19.
Kendall school leaders say many factors are driving the $2,045,169 budget increase for 2026-27: inflation, special education enrollments, instructional operation enhancements, shared services with BOCES, debt service, benefits, salaries, and minimum wage increases.
The debt service increased by 47.7 percent or $1,124,632 because Kendall will be issuing debt during June 2026 to pay for current capital project costs. However, this will be offset by a corresponding increase in building and transportation aid.
Kendall is using $150,000 more from its fund balance to lessen the need on property taxes, school officials state in the district’s budget newsletter.
State aid at $16,004,160 covers 68 percent of the school budget. The tax rate is projected at $10.29 per $1,000 of assessed property, which Kendall officials say in one of the lowest school tax rates in the area.
- In addition to the budget, voters will be presented a proposition to use up to $390,000 from the vehicle capital reserve fund to purchase vehicles in the transportation program for the district, including passenger buses.
There are also two candidates for one five-year term on the Board of Education: Christa Bowling and David Warren.
LYNDONVILLE – The school district is presenting a $19,194,000 budget to the public. The budget increases spending by 9.8 percent or by $1,719,670 from the $17,474,330 in 2025-26.
The tax levy will increase by 2.5 percent from $4,758,692 to $4,877,659.
Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. at Stroyan Auditorium Foyer.
The budget includes an increase in state aid from $12,113,808 to $13,375,309. The district also plans to use more reserve funds – from $495,220 to $746,032.
There are other propositions on the ballot:
- Purchase one standard 64 passenger bus through Transportation Vehicle Reserve funds at a maximum of $192,000
- Funding for Yates Community Library at $153,345 (up from the current $146,722)
- Board of Education – Dana Goetze is the lone candidate on the ballot for a three-year term.
MEDINA – School officials have put together a $47,998,851 proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year.
District residents will go to the polls from noon to 8 p.m. in the Oak Orchard Primary School Gymnasium, 335 West Oak Orchard St.
The budget increases spending by 2.89 percent from the current $46,648,693. The tax levy, what the district collects in property taxes, would increase by 1.97 percent – from $9,170,809 to $9,351,474. The budget is again under the tax cap – for the 17th straight year.
State and federal aid are at $36,556,210 and covers 76.2 percent of the budget. Property taxes represent 19.5 percent of the budget.
School officials provided these highlights of the budget: Maintaining all existing programs, sports and extracurricular activities; continued commitment to providing school supplies for all students; review of current and future contractual obligations; purchases 2 full-sized buses and one half-sized bus; support for district strategic priorities; providing students with the most up-to-date programming and facilities; development of a new 5-year staffing plan; use of available reserves and fund balance to balance the budget
There are three candidates for three open seats on the Board of Education: Steven Blount, LuAnn Tierney and Mackenzie Sullivan.
RIDGEWAY – Our photo at top shows Fred Grey’s white horse and surrey standing south of the Universalist Church, at 3064 North Gravel Rd. in Ridgeway.
