Medina’s $39.9 million school budget passes with 84% in favor

MEDINA – The school district’s proposed $39,884,316 budget passed easily today with 247 voted in favor and 45 against.

That’s an 84 percent approval rate despite a budget with a 2 percent tax increase, the first in a decade in Medina.

Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, said the “runaway escalation of utility costs” is the biggest factor in the tax increase. The district still remains below the state-imposed tax cap, he said.

He is grateful the budget passed by a more than 5-to-1 ratio.

“We are very appreciative of the community’s continual support of our district,” he said this evening after the votes were counted.

The budget maintains all programs and staffing, increases student support services, purchases three large school buses and one wheelchair bus, adds new cafeteria tables for Oak Orchard Primary School, and returns a high school musical to the Medina auditorium.

Two candidates – Scott Robinson and Debra Tompkins – ran for two three-year terms on the Board of Education. Robinson received 239 votes and Tompkins had 236. Tompkins is a current board member and Robinson is new. The terms start July 1.