Mohonasen budget includes small tax hike BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Mohonasen officials approved a $41.9 million budget for 2008-09 Monday, sending a spending plan that proposes a 2.6 percent hike to the property tax levy to voters next month. The district Board of Education unanimously adopted the budget during its regular meeting. The budget reflects a $1.6 million or roughly 4 percent increase over last year, according to district calculations. But despite the boost in spending, the budget remains below the threshold allowed under a contingency budget, said Denise Swezey, ROTTERDAM the assistant superintendent for business. She said the percentage spending increases presented in the budget are minimal. "Both these percentages are the lowest we've seen in five years," she said during the board's meeting Monday. "And the tax levy increase is the lowest we've seen in 10 years." Mohonasen was aided this year by a 6.7 percent increase in state aid included in Gov. David Paterson's budget. The district will depend on state aid to fund 45 percent of the proposed budget. Topping the list of expenditures were instruction expenses, which total more than $1.1 million worth of the spending increase. The proposed budget includes funding for about nine new positions. Superintendent Kathleen Spring said some of the increased staffi ng will go toward a full-day kindergarten pilot program at the Bradt School. Initially, she said this program will be used to help children identified as falling behind. "This pilot will be more for students who are perceived through the screening process as being atrisk," she said. Spring said the other positions restore some of the programs that received drastic cuts under the 2006-07 budget, which initially proposed a double-digit increase in the tax rate. That year, administrators were forced to trim more than $800,000, resulting in 19 staff positions cut. Spring said Mohonasen still has one of the lowest per-pupil expenditures among public schools in New York. She said the district spent $10,264 per student in 2007-08, which was significantly lower than the $13,545 Schenectady County average and the $15,035 state average. "We don't want people to think we're being frivolous because we're not," she said. The district will host a budget forum at 6 p.m. May 12 at the Mohonasen High School. Voters will head to the polls on May 20. District residents will also vote on two three-year school board seats. This year, Thomas Flood and Mark Thornhill will challenge incumbents Nancy del Prado and Joe Salamone.
Superintendent Kathleen Spring said some of the increased staffi ng will go toward a full-day kindergarten pilot program at the Bradt School. Initially, she said this program will be used to help children identified as falling behind. "This pilot will be more for students who are perceived through the screening process as being atrisk," she said.
The pilot has been going on for 5years that I know of...it's called EDK......soooo, what's new,,,,it's appetite grew?????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Proposed 2008-09 budget: $41.93 million Change from 2007-08: up 4.1 percent or $1.6 million Highlights: Adds a third grade section to meet enrollment and a full day kindergarten for at risk students as well as a district wide full time technology specialist Tax levy: Up 2.6 percent Proposition: To buy two 66-passenger buses for no more than $430,000. State money will cover about 80 percent of the price tag with the district bonding the remainder or $18,930 per year over five years School board seats: Incumbents Joseph Salamone and Nancy del Prado and newcomers Mark Thornhill and Thomas Flood seek two 3-year seats Voting: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the high school
Highlights: Adds a third grade section to meet enrollment and a full day kindergarten for at risk students as well as a district wide full time technology specialist
At risk students? And what constitutes an 'at risk student'?
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