Little League baseball, Pop Warner football and an exercise program that invites residents to walk the halls of district buildings during the winter could be cut if voters in Canastota reject the district’s proposed spending plan a second time. Canastota voters will head back to the polls June 15 for a second referendum on the $24.7 million budget they defeated...
Little League baseball, Pop Warner football and an exercise program that invites residents to walk the halls of district buildings during the winter could be cut if voters in Canastota reject the district’s proposed spending plan a second time.
Canastota voters will head back to the polls June 15 for a second referendum on the $24.7 million budget they defeated by nine votes last month.
The district’s proposed spending plan for 2010-2011 was one of three budget proposals in Central New York that voters rejected. District officials faced three options: resubmit the same budget to voters on June 15; change the budget before putting it up for a second vote or adopt a contingency budget.
The district’s original budget cut spending by 0.24 percent, or $59,400, but would have caused the district’s tax levy to rise 2.84 percent, which translated into an estimated tax rate of $20.95 per $1,000 in assessed value.
If the budget is defeated at the polls a second time, the Board of Education will be required to adopt the contingency budget, which would drop the proposed tax rate by
11 cents to $20.84 per $1,000 in assessed value.
At a meeting last week, a crowd of nearly 100 residents asked Canastota officials to educate voters on how a contingency budget would impact students and the community.
In an announcement on the district website today, officials warned that a contingency budget would mean the loss of programming like AYSO soccer, youth wrestling and basketball and the Children’s Council Enrichment program.
State law would require the district to eliminate or charge a fee for community use of school buildings and grounds.
District officials said the impact would be felt by small offerings, like a community walking program that opens the halls of district buildings in the winter, and by larger events, like the International Boxing Hall of Fame weekend.
Contingency rules would also eliminate any spending on equipment and student supplies.
Superintendent Fred Bragan said officials would answer any questions when the board meets next at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Roberts Street school complex.
The polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. June 15 at the district’s regular polling places: Roberts Street School, South Side School, Whitelaw Church and Clockville Town Hall.