May 22, 2012
NEWS
Residents to vote on budget May 17
April 26, 2011 — On May 17, voters of the Cohoes City School District will go to the polls to decide on a $38.2 million budget for the 2011-2012 school year. The proposed budget—adopted unanimously by the Board of Education—increases spending by 1.69 percent over the current year and, if approved by voters, will result in an estimated property tax rate increase of 1.85 percent.
The board of education crafted the proposed budget after a series of public budget workshops at which several working drafts were shared with community members. Open discussion followed, as the board and district staff grappled with another year of reduced state aid and escalating fixed costs. In the end, the board proposed cutting 25.067 full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions, identified new revenues and agreed to use more of the district’s undesignated fund balance than it had in prior years.
The resulting 1.69 percent budget-to-budget spending increase is close to the 1.6 percent change in the Consumer Price Index. Despite the staffing cuts, the proposal will keep class sizes stable and will preserve important programs and services for students, according to Superintendent Robert Libby.
Voters will also elect four individuals to serve on the Board of Education. The top two vote-getters will serve full, three-year terms. The candidates who finish third and fourth in the vote tally will serve for one year, completing the terms of two former board members who resigned in 2010. Candidate names and the order they will appear on the ballot will be announced on Thursday, April 28.
A copy of the proposed 2011-2012 appropriations budget can be found here>> (.PDF file)
A copy of the proposed 2011-2012 revenue budget can be found here>> (.PDF file)
For more information, please visit our budget news and information page>>
