The Buffalo News reports on the school budget.....
Roy-Hart budget set for voters
The Royalton- Hartland School Board has adopted a proposed $23.4 million budget for the 2008-09 school year. It will be presented to voters for approval in a May 20 referendum. It represents a 1.21 percent increase over this year’s $23.1 million district spending package. It also calls for a 3.89 percent increase in the property tax levy. This year, the district raised more than $8.4 million in property taxes to help fund district schools. Next year, the board has proposed the tax levy to be raised to $8.8 million.
If voters approve the proposed budget, School Superintendent Paul J. Bona Jr. said, it would raise the property tax rate by anywhere from 81 cents to 96 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation depending on where district residents live.
“The tax rate in Royalton would go up 96 cents, from $24.85 to $25.82 per $1,000. In Hartland, it would go up by 81 cents, from $20.83 to $21.64 per $1,000. It would go up by 81 cents in the Town of Lockport and the Orleans County communities of Ridgeway and Shelby. It would go up by 85 cents in Alabama, which is also in Orleans County,” Bona said. He said the proposed budget should be bolstered by an anticipated increase of about $500,000 in state aid.
Bona said Roy-Hart received roughly $12.8 million in state aid this year and expects that figure to move up to somewhere near the $13.3 million mark, once a state budget is approved.
Bona said the board cut no programs but was able to cut some costs by putting a hold on equipment requests and reducing a handful of jobs through attrition, which it was able to do because of declining enrollment.
“We have about 1,500 students this year. Our student enrollment had dropped by about 200 students over the last five years,” he said. “I think this is an educationally responsible budget. It’s certainly sensitive to the two missions of the school district and the Board of Education, which are to be sensitive to the community which supports education and to provide the highest quality educational program to our students,” Bona said.
Roy-Hart budget set for voters
The Royalton- Hartland School Board has adopted a proposed $23.4 million budget for the 2008-09 school year. It will be presented to voters for approval in a May 20 referendum. It represents a 1.21 percent increase over this year’s $23.1 million district spending package. It also calls for a 3.89 percent increase in the property tax levy. This year, the district raised more than $8.4 million in property taxes to help fund district schools. Next year, the board has proposed the tax levy to be raised to $8.8 million.
If voters approve the proposed budget, School Superintendent Paul J. Bona Jr. said, it would raise the property tax rate by anywhere from 81 cents to 96 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation depending on where district residents live.
“The tax rate in Royalton would go up 96 cents, from $24.85 to $25.82 per $1,000. In Hartland, it would go up by 81 cents, from $20.83 to $21.64 per $1,000. It would go up by 81 cents in the Town of Lockport and the Orleans County communities of Ridgeway and Shelby. It would go up by 85 cents in Alabama, which is also in Orleans County,” Bona said. He said the proposed budget should be bolstered by an anticipated increase of about $500,000 in state aid.
Bona said Roy-Hart received roughly $12.8 million in state aid this year and expects that figure to move up to somewhere near the $13.3 million mark, once a state budget is approved.
Bona said the board cut no programs but was able to cut some costs by putting a hold on equipment requests and reducing a handful of jobs through attrition, which it was able to do because of declining enrollment.
“We have about 1,500 students this year. Our student enrollment had dropped by about 200 students over the last five years,” he said. “I think this is an educationally responsible budget. It’s certainly sensitive to the two missions of the school district and the Board of Education, which are to be sensitive to the community which supports education and to provide the highest quality educational program to our students,” Bona said.
Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/niagaracounty/story/306710.html
