School districts across New York state are holding votes for school budgets, propositions and board of education seats on Tuesday. Here’s a look at what some districts in the Hudson Valley are proposing.
Arlington Central School District
Budget: $278,650,000, a 3.96% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 3.51% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Proposition: Purchase (10) 71-passenger buses, (4) 30-34-passenger vans, (4) 18-20-passenger vans, (4) 7-passenger minivans, (2) wheelchair vans, (2) transit maintenance vans with uplift and 1 Ford truck
Proposition: Create a $20 million Capital Fund with revenues from cost savings. There is no tax impact.
Board of Education: Three board members are seeking reelection to three seats. They are: Eileen Snook, Linda Gaines and Jeff Haight.
Goshen Central School District
Budget: $101,050,451, a 4.36% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 3.06% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Proposition: Purchase six school buses at a cost of $751,285.
Board of Education: Two people are running to fill two seats. The candidates are John Sullivan and Roy Reese.
Budget: $258,079,830, a 3.43% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 4.04% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Board of Education: Seven people are running for (3) three-year seats and (1) one-year seat. They are: Erika Bernabei Middleton, Rita Worthington, Marc Rider, Suzanne Jordan, Michael Detweiler, Anthony Fitzpatrick and Louisa Solomon.
Enlarged City School District of Middletown
Budget: $283,735,894, a 2.65% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 1.99% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Board of Education: The terms of Edwin Estrada, Curtis Rhett and Freddie Williams Jr. are expiring. Six people are running to fill three seats: Deymiss Caraballo, Estrada, Rhett, Williams, Terry Randolph and Marcia Maragh.
Newburgh Enlarged City School District
Budget: $394,068,884, a 3.9% increase in spending
Tax levy increase: 0%
Proposition: Authorize spending $5,996,436 to support the Newburgh Free Library from July 1 to June 30, 2027.
Board of Education: Five people are running for three available seats. They are: Deborah Bouley, Ray Burgarelli, Victoria Bousche, Letitia McDaniel Politi and Philip Howard.
Poughkeepsie City School District
Budget: $156.91 million, a 6.28% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 4.21%, an increase of about $172 for the average property
Proposition: Establish a maximum $20 million Capital Reserve Fund to undertake improvements outside of projects approved by residents. The district would not level any additional taxes on residents to fill the fund.
Board of Education: Five people are running to fill (2) three-year seats and (1) one-year seat. They are Jamar Cummings, Richard Distel, Debra Long, Stacey MacDonald and Gregory “Tron” Melton. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the election will serve the three year-terms.
Wappingers Falls Central School District
Budget: $336,894,345, a 5% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 2.59% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Proposition: Purchase (8) 71-passenger buses, (6) 20-passenger vans, (2) 21-passenger vans, and an SUV for student transport for $2.9 million.
Board of Education: Three people are running for three seats. They are: Steven Shuchat, Keith Odums and Ellen Mead.
Warwick Valley Central School District
Budget: $123,011,817, a 3.25% spending increase
Tax levy increase: 2.58% (falls within New York state tax cap)
Proposition: Purchase five school buses at no additional tax increase.
Proposition: Fund a $2 million Repair Fund with end-of-year fund balances over 15 years.
Board of Education: Five people are running for three available seats. They are: Bob Larsen, Dory Masefield, John Garcia, Melanie Kolacy and Robert Howe.