Voters across New York are voting today on school budgets. It has been a rough year for school boards trying to come up with budgets. The state cut millions of dollars in school aid, while districts faced rising costs from pensions, health care, salaries and fuel.
As a result, districts adopted budgets that in the best cases resulted in staff cuts through attrition, in other teachers and other support staff will be laid off at the end of the school year.
Disricts cutting the largest number of positions include Rome with the loss of 68.5 positions, North Syracuse with 67 and Auburn with 56.1 positions. Auburn also plans to close the West Middle School.
Property tax hikes will vary by district, and even within a district. It all depends on how properties are assesses in your particular village, town or city. For most districts the tax levy, that's the total amount of dollars a district hopes to raise in property taxes, is rising in the 1-3 percent range. Two of the biggest hikes in the tax levy are in North Syracuse withya 5.2 % hike and Jordan-Elbridge, which faces a 7.3 % hike.
Polls are opening at various times, some close at eight, all will be closed by 9pm.
We'll have the results here at CNYcentral.com.
