by Alex Brooks
The Hoosick Falls School Board held a Budget Workshop on April 11 and came to agreement on the final shape of their budget.
There was some additional State aid approved when the State Budget passed April 1 so the District was able to get near its budget goals without any cuts beyond those announced in February.
[private]The budget as presented showed an increase in total spending of 3.9%, to $21,794,527. State Aid for operating expenses is up 9.2% from last year, giving the District an additional $749,541. The tax levy will increase by 2.67%, an additional $237,787. State assessments for retirement have skyrocketed this year, requiring an additional $348,000, an increase of 21.8% Health insurance has gone up by a total of $246,256, which is an increase of 6.3%.
In order to keep the budget to these figures, the Board laid off two Special Education teachers and eliminated an English Teacher, an Elementary Teacher, half of an Assistant Principal position, a Teaching Assistant and two custodial workers through retirements.
Board President Greg Laurin asked each of the Board members if they were satisfied with the 2.67% increase in the tax levy, and all agreed to it.
Superintendent Ken Facin offered them a sheet of possible cuts to lower the tax levy further, but they did not want to make any of these cuts. The only one discussed publicly was the Governor’s deferred payment plan for the retirement assessments, but the board agreed that a pay as you go plan is better than gathering liabilities for the future.
The so-called 2% tax cap is actually a rather complicated formula which is different for each school district. For Hoosick Falls this year the tax cap on the local levy is 4.25%. The budget proposed is well under this. The thing that drives this well above 2% is the very high assessments from the state pension funds for employee retirement. When these are larger than 2%, the allowable tax cap goes up by the amount above 2%.
There will also be a bus purchase proposition. The District plans to purchase three buses for a total of $280,000. This is for two 65 passenger buses and one 12 passenger wheelchair bus with a capacity for 5 wheelchairs. The purchases will be done through a 5 year bond. 85% of the cost will be paid by State aid reimbursements. The local 15% share and the cost of debt service will be paid from funds already set aside in the Bus Reserve fund. The bus purchase does not require any new money from the taxpayers.[/private]