Most school district budgets pass; Berne-Knox-Westerlo fails

Voters defeated Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District’s proposed $26.3 million budget at the polls on Tuesday.

Nearly 59% of voters approved the spending plan. However, because the district was exceeding the tax cap with a 5.09% levy increase, the plan required approval of 60% plus one.

The school board will vote on the next steps. They could submit the same budget or a revised one for another vote on June. 18. They could also adopt a contingency budget, which would keep the tax levy flat.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo was one of the few school budgets that failed in the Capital Region.

Statewide, 97% of school budgets passed, according to a statement from New York State United Teachers.

Here are some highlights of other school districts:

Albany: Voters approved a $326 million budget with 83% voting yes. Residents also approved propositions to create a capital reserve fund for facilities needs, purchase two 10-passenger vans and purchase the parking lot on Spruce Street near Academy for use for district employee parking.

Berlin: Residents approved the $25.5 million budget with 68% of the vote in favor. The district was facing a large budget gap because of the expiration of COVID relief funding. The adopted budget includes a reduction of 12 ½ full-time equivalent positions including four administrators, 7.5 teachers and one counselor.

Voters also approved purchasing four school buses and two seven-passenger vehicles and elected Katie Snyder and Penni Eggsware to the Board of Education. 

Bethlehem: Voters signed off on a $114 million budget with 74% in favor and approved purchasing buses and creating a reserve fund for voter bus purchases.

Cohoes: Residents approved a $53 million spending plan with a vote of 82% in favor and elected Richard Jackson and Renee Synder to the board of education.

Hudson Falls: Voters approved a $54.6 million budget and a bus proposition. Crystal Grimali and Heidi Andrejkovics won election without opposition for two seats on the Board of Education.

Niskayuna: Voters approved a nearly $117 million budget, which was below the state cap and purchased two buses. Ehaysui Gomes and Howard Schlossberg were elected to the school board.

Saratoga Springs: Voters approved a $148.7 million budget and a bus proposition. Deb Amory, Matt Kopans and Connie Woytowich were elected to three seats on the school board.

Schodack: Voters approved a nearly $28.7 million budget. They also approved the purchase of two school buses and elected Kurt Maier, Tylea Gebbie, Jennifer Rogowski and Marion Spar to the school board.

Schenectady: Residents approved a nearly $278 million budget. All programs and staff are maintained and there was no impact on the tax levy for the sixth consecutive year.

In addition, voters approved a proposition to sell a small portion of land that borders on the Van Corlaer Elementary School property for a price not less than $1,000.

Voters also authorized demolishing a portion of William C. Keane Elementary School and Pleasant Valley Elementary School and construction of additions onto both. This was not part of the original $300 million capital project referendum, so required voter approval to begin the work. There was no tax impact.

Incumbent Jamaica Miles was reelected, and newcomer Alexandria Carver won the two open seats on the Board of Education.

South Colonie: Voters approved a $128 million school spending plan by a nearly 76% rate. The tax levy will rise by 2.99%, which is below the cap. Voters also approved purchasing nine buses. David Kiehle and Jen Houlihan were elected to two, five-year board seats.

Troy: Voters approved a $133 million budget that did not increase the tax levy for the fourth consecutive year. Voters also voted yes on a $46 million capital project, which would allow the district to make significant upgrades to aging buildings. Elizabeth Poleto, Donny Miller, Josh Chiappone and Matthew Flowers won seats on the school board.

Check the school districts’ websites for other results.