On May 21st, voters across the state approved 663 school budgets and defeated twelve – a 98.2 percent passage rate, slightly above last year’s passage rate of 97.6%. Of the twelve districts that experienced a budget defeat, nine were attempting to pierce their Tax Levy Limit and therefore needed a super-majority (60 percent) for approval. Five of those nine districts (Brighton, Clymer, Eastport-South Manor, Johnstown and Lansingburgh) had support from more than 50% of the voters, but failed to reach the 60% super-majority threshold.
Districts with a defeated budget may resubmit the same budget to the voters, resubmit a revised budget to the voters, or adopt a contingency budget. If a school district chooses to have a budget revote, it must take place on June 18th – the third Tuesday in June. If a second budget proposal is defeated, the district must adopt a contingency budget. Districts that adopt a contingency budget may not increase the tax levy above the previous year's levy—a 0 percent cap.
The following page provides a listing of those districts that had their budget defeated.
2019 Budget Defeats (by County)
DISTRICT |
COUNTY |
ALTMAR-PARISH-WILLIAMSTOWN |
Oswego |
BRIGHTON* |
Monroe
|
BROCKPORT |
Monroe |
CLYMER* |
Chautauqua |
DOLGEVILLE*
|
Herkimer |
EASTPORT SOUTH MANOR*
|
Suffolk |
JOHNSTON*
|
Fulton |
LANSINGBURGH*
|
Rensselaer |
MINISINK VALLEY*
|
Orange |
OWEGO-APALACHIN
|
Tioga |
TICONDEROGA* |
Essex |
WYANDANCH* |
Suffolk |
* District needed a super-majority 60% for approval.
BKB/vp-107730
Revised June 2019