Voters go to polls today for school budgets, propositions and BOE candidates

Voters in the five public school districts in Orleans County go to the polls today to vote for or against the school budgets, transportation positions, funding for libraries and also who will serve on the Board of Education.

(Eligible voters need to be at least 18, a citizen of the U.S., and a district resident for at least 30 days prior to the vote.)

Albion’s proposed $41.8 million school budget doesn’t increase taxes

The school district once again won’t be increasing the amount of money it collects it taxes. The district’s proposed $41,814,847 budget sets the tax levy at $8,449,039, the same as the current 2022-23 school budget. This is the 15th time in the past 17 years the school taxes have either stayed the same or gone down.

Voting will be from noon to 8 p.m. at the elementary school, conference room A near the community entrance at the back of the school.

The district’s budget increases spending by $3,516,157 or 9.2 percent. A 10.3 percent increase in state aid or by $3,045,607 to $32,473,384 will offset most of the increase. State aid covers about 78 percent of Albion’s total school budget.

The vote also includes the following propositions:

• Authorization to spend up to $550,000 from the school’s bus purchase reserve fund to purchase buses.
• Authorized to collect $654,510 for Hoag Library.
• Authorization to establish a transportation reserve fund to acquire school buses and similar vehicles in the future.
• There is also one seat on the Board of Education up for election. Mary Brown isn’t seeking re-election to a five-year term. Porsche Taylor in the lone candidate on the ballot.

Holley budget calls for 1.5% tax increase for 2023-24

Holley is proposing a $28,920,000 school budget for 2023-24 that would increase property taxes by 1.49 percent.

The vote is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the foyer of the junior-senior high school.

The tax levy would increase by 1.49 percent or $115,034 to $7,835,466. That is the smallest increase since taxes were increased by 1.35 percent in 2017-18. The following years the tax levy increase was 2.0 percent in 2018-19, 2.5 percent in 2019-20, and then 1.95 percent for each of three years from 2020-21 to 2022-23.

The budget shows a 7.81 percent spending increase or by $1,938,000 – up from the $26,982,000 in the current school year. Holley would get a big boost in Foundation Aid from the state – 15.99 percent or $1,869,196 more, from $11,623,776 to $13,492,972, based on the governor’s budget.

The district also is planning a capital outlay project that won’t exceed $100,000 with state aid covering up to 92.3 percent of the cost. The projects include middle/high school door replacement and hardware – roof access doors, custodial hall to gym vestibule fire doors, auditorium stage door going to the mezzanine, and fob access to the main office, counseling and library.

The vote also includes:

• a proposition authorizing the district to spend up to $338,000 for two full-size buses and one smaller bus.
• a proposition to authorize Holley to collect $200,815 for Community Free Library – up from $194,966 in 2022-23.
• There are also three candidates running for the Board of Education – Dan Cater, Trina Lorentz and Robin Silvis – for two positions. The seats are currently filled by Silvis, the board president, and Andrea Newman.

Kendall’s proposed school budget won’t increase property taxes

The Kendall Board of Education has adopted a $20,413,805 school budget for 2023-24 that doesn’t raise the tax levy.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Kendall Town Hall.

Overall spending is up 2.9 percent in the budget compared to the $19,822,921 in 2022-23. The district is able to hold off on a tax increase mainly due to a big increase in Foundation Aid from the state, up 12.95 percent in Foundation Aid or by $1,086,108 – from $8,382,316 to $9,468,424.

Property taxes through the tax levy would stay at $4,964,656.

The ballot also includes:

• Authorization to approve up to $350,000 from a Transportation Bus Reserve Fund to replace two full-size buses.
• There is one candidate on the ballot for a five-year term on the Board of Election. Rachel Fisken, the current vice president, is unopposed for re-election.

Lyndonville budget calls for 1% tax increase

Lyndonville is proposing a $16,939,491 budget that increases spending by $1,234,538 or by 7.9 percent from 15,704,953 in 2022-23.

However, the tax increase would be 1 percent or by $46,187 to $4,664,927. The district projects the average tax rate among the four towns in the district will increase from $16.32 to $16.48 per $1,000 of assessed property.

Voting for the budget will be from noon to 8 p.m. at the Stroyan Auditorium Foyer at the school.

The budget calls for a state aid increase of $1,702,433 or up by 17 percent. That will help the district with an 8 percent increase in the consumer price index.

The vote also includes:

• A proposition to purchase one 64-seat passenger bus and one mini-bus, not to exceed $275,000. The bus will be purchased from the bus reserve.
• A proposition to collect $124,808 for Yates Community Library, which is up 4.7 percent or $5,625 from $119,183 in 2022-23.
• Election of a member of the Board of Education. Jerod Thurber, a current member, is the only candidate for a three-year term.

Medina school budget doesn’t increase property taxes

The Medina school district won’t be increasing the tax levy in the 2023-24 school budget.

This is the 14th time in the past 16 years the district won’t be increasing property taxes, District Superintendent Mark Kruzynski said.

Voting for the budget and board candidates will be from noon to 8 p.m. in the District Office Boardroom.

The district’s proposed budget is $40,095,815, which represents a 0.53 percent spending increase from the $39,884,316 in 2022-23.

The tax levy is unchanged at $8,814,697.

Medina’s budget would be 72.7 percent funded by the state with overall state aid at $29,139,269, an increase of $530,555.

There are also three open seats on the Board of Education for three-year terms. LuAnn Tierney, Steven Blount, Corinne Ryan and Annette Allis are on the ballot.

Tierney and Allis are seeking re-election while current board member Arlene Pawlaczyk isn’t running again.