2009-2010 School District Budget
Voters
approve school district budget
POSTED: May 20, 2009
Port Jervis
City School District residents approved the proposed 2009-10
budget of
$60,941,600
on May
19. The unofficial tally was 1,296 yes votes;
1,030 no votes.
Offset by cost-cutting measures and allocations from the
district's fund balance, the proposed spending plan carries a
tax levy of 1.5 percent. This tax increase is among the lowest in recent history.
"I want to thank the taxpayers for supporting the budget,"
said Superintendent John Xanthis. "Given the state of the
economy, we are extremely appreciative of the community's
support and continued commitment to our schools. This budget was
designed to keep costs down, while maintaining existing
educational programs. Its passage will allow
us to continue to move our district forward and meet the diverse
needs of our
students."
Cost-cutting
measures
To limit the
impact on taxpayers, the decision was made not to place a
capital project referendum on the ballot at this time. Instead,
fund balance allocations will be used to cover the cost of
several renovation/maintenance projects that would have been
addressed by the capital project; demolish the condemned bus
garage and construct a new maintenance and storage shed; reduce
district debt.
As in year's past, the district will also use money from the fund
balance to reduce the tax levy.
To further reduce the budget, the district will keep costs down by
eliminating two teaching positions through attrition and
increasing employee health insurance contributions.
While no new programs were added, the Port Jervis’ budget
maintains all current academic programs and includes new funding
for the following few key areas: three new textbook series;
Smartboards, visual projectors, and computers for all schools;
and increased time for an elementary-level social worker (funded
partially by Medicaid).
With all of this in mind, Port’s proposed budget is only
six-hundredths (.06) of a percent above the 4 percent
expenditure cap allowed by the state for a contingency budget.
On Tuesday, May 19, district residents
voted on the following two ballot items.
-
The 2009-10 School District Budget Passed-
voters approved the proposed
$60,941,600
budget for the 2009-10 school year.
The
unofficial tally was 1,296 yes votes; 1,030 no votes.
-
Board of Education
Election -
William Onofry, Michael
Bello, and Tom Sexton were elected to serve
the full three-year terms, which begins June 30. Cathy
Sadaghiani
and Steven Doss were
elected
to one-year terms.
The terms for these two seats begin May 20.
The unofficial
vote tallies
were as follows:
•
William Onofry* -
1,403
•
Michael Bello* - 1,304
•
Tom Sexton - 1,298
•
Cathy
Sadaghiani* - 1,230
•
Steven
Doss - 1,065
•
Brian
Dewey- 1,003
•
Earl Walker, Jr.*
- 943
•
Donna
Carver - 849
•
Robert Habig
- 801
•
Jean
Burger - 629
•
Roger McGibney
- 576
•
Ronald
Ryerson -571
*Designates incumbents
Candidate Profiles
Additional
budget information
District residents received detailed information about the
proposed budget in the budget newsletter, which was mailed to
all tax payers
prior to the May 19 budget vote. Tax payers can also learn more by attending one of the
scheduled community budget presentations.
•
Budget Newsletter
•
View Budget
PowerPoint Presentation Slide Show
(PDF)
•
Community Budget Presentation Schedule
Click
here to read the
following budget development stories:
• STAR savings to continue for homeowners
• BOE reviewed proposed budget allocations
at April 21 Workshop
• Workshop kicked off budget process
• Residents urged to
lobby legislators for state aid
Links to other budget information:
•
Budget Development Calendar
|
