Vote: Proposed city schools’ budget, along with three Board of Education seats

The Batavia City School District’s proposed 2016-17 budget has no tax increase but expenditures are up 2.9 percent over last year. The spending plan totals $44,366,439. Because the district is keeping the tax levy below the tax cap (up to 1.48 is allowable with a simple majority vote; more requires a super-majority vote), homeowners are once again eligible for a State property tax rebate, payable in autumn, mailed directly to them from NYS. While the projected tax increase is zero for a home assessed at $85,000, actual amounts are subject to change due to flucuations in assessed valuations and NYS equalization rates, both of which are finalized during the summer. Adopted budgeted expenses for the upcoming academic year, and the corresponding percentages of the budget, are: General Support — $5,5333,723  (12.5 percent) Instructional Support — $26,092,772  (58.8 percent) Transportation — $1,817,170  (4.1 percent) Employee Benefits — $10,517,772  (23.7 percent) Interfund Transfers — $405,000  (0.9 percent) City schools spend less per pupil when compared to schools statewide. The total average expenditure per pupil in Batavia is $19,207, according to the district’s budget synopsis, compared to a statewide average of $21,812. Payroll expenses have gone up slightly each year — .39 percent — over the last nine fiscal years through 2014-15, an average of $71,413 annually districtwide. To save money, the district shares a number of services with other area districts. These positions are a curriculum coordinator, ESL Services, Athletics, and a Nutritional Services director. Proposed enhancements to programs for 2016-17 include the following: One Jackson School Reading/Math AIS teacher One John Kennedy School elementary teacher One high school Math teacher One John Kennedy School Computer Skils/AIS Math teacher One (part-time to full-time) high school/middle school Art teacher Four Jackson/Kennedy teacher aides One high school Security aide One Jackson buildings and grounds cleaner One middle school date processing clerk One district Instructional Teachnology coordinator One-toWorld Chromebooks, grades 5-12 Recordex Interactive Monitors $100,000 NYS aidable Capital Outlay Project for middle school cost-efficient lighting upgrades The proposed budget calls for using just over $2 million from the Unemployment Insurance Reserve, surplus Fund Balance, the Employee Benefits Accrued Liability Reserve, Repair Reserve and the NYS Employee Retirement Reserve. The proposed budget is on the ballot on Tuesday, May 17, along with three vacancies on the Board of Education. Voting will take place between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Residents north of Route 5 (Main Street) vote at Robert Morris School building, 80 Union St.; residents south of Route 5, vote at Batavia High School, 260 State St. If you need clarification of where to vote, please check the street-by-street guide on the district’s Web site or call the Business Office at 343-2480, ext. 1002.