Medina school budget lowers tax for 4th straight year

MEDINA – The school district’s budget for 2016-17 reduces taxes for the fourth straight year.

The Board of Education approved a $35,825,184 budget that goes before district voters on May 17. The budget is up about $1 million from the $34,802,870 in 2015-16.

The state has boosted aid by nearly $900,000 and Medina is tapping some of its reserve funds to lower taxes in 2016-17, Mark Kruzynski, the district’s business administrator, said.

“We’re in a great spot with our reserves and we’re going to use some,” he said this morning.

The new state budget boosts aid to Medina from $23,769,997 to $24,860,152. That increase is a big factor in Medina’s ability to cut taxes by 1.3 percent, from $8,774,760 to $8,660,915.

The budget keeps all existing programs and also boosts the gifted and talented offerings.

Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. on May 17 at the District Office.

The vote includes the Board of Education election. There are six people running for three three-year terms, including incumbents Lori Draper and Wendi Pencille.

Retired Medina school administrator Alberta Suozzi also is running for the board along with Timothy Dunham, Virginia Nicholson and Brenda Lindsay. (Draper and Pencille are seeking re-election and John McCarthy opted against seeking another term.)