Budget Information and News Archives
2023-24 Budget Information
March 16: 2023-24 Budget Presentation, Print Friendly
March 16: 2023-24 Budget Presentation, PowerPoint
April 19: 2023-24 Budget Presentation, Print Friendly
April 19: 2023-24 Budget Presentation, Power Point
May 2: Public Hearing – Budget Presentation, Print Friendly
May 2: Public Hearing – Budget Presentation, Power Point
Budget Vote Set for Tuesday, May 16 (news article)
2022-23 Budget Information
Schoharie CSD, 2022-23 Budget Presentation
Budget statement, 2022-23, approved
2022-23 Budget Has a Tax Levy Decrease; Voters approved on May 17
Schoharie Central School District residents voted on a $25.9 million proposed budget for the 2022-23 school year.
The fiscal plan has an overall increase of 1.63 percent – or $416,418 – from the current year. However, for the second year in a row the district adopted a budget that decreases the overall tax levy.
Under the fiscal plan, the tax levy will go down by 1.84 percent. A 3 percent increase in New York State Foundation Aid will help allow the district to enhance student academic services and support, while reducing the overall local tax burden.
Voters will also approved a Capital Project and Energy Performance Project; and select three candidates for the Schoharie CSD Board of Education; decided on a school bus purchases; and approved a Repair Reserve Fund and support for the Schoharie Free Library.
The budget for 2022-23 includes new funding for textbooks, math programming and learning materials district wide; a new full-time science teacher at the Jr./Sr. High School; a PE teacher/athletic coordinator position for the Jr./Sr. High School; and a new full-time, in-house IT position that will service the Elementary and Jr./Sr. High School on a daily basis. The district is projecting a $412,000 increase in contractual salaries districtwide and a $45,000 increase in energy costs. There is also an anticipated $119,000 increase in employee health insurance and prescription drug costs.
“The goal of this fiscal plan is to place our students as the top priority, while maintaining fiscal responsibility to our Schoharie taxpayers,” Superintendent David M. Blanchard said. “We must ensure our valued students are college and/or career ready.”
Inflation and Energy costs
With the current rate of inflation at more than 8 percent and high energy costs expected to continue into the next school year, the district was mindful of how this could affect the 2022-23 budget. The fiscal plan accounts for increases in materials, supplies and energy costs.
Tax Levy Limit
The tax levy limit, while sometimes referred to as a “2 percent tax cap,” is set through a state-mandated formula and will often be higher or lower than 2 percent based on the individual circumstances of each district. In some cases, the tax levy limit can be negative. That is the case with this proposed budget, as the state mandated tax levy limit is -1.84 percent. The district is choosing to present a budget that meets this negative tax levy limit. An increase in
state aid and operational efficiencies that are under constant review will allow Schoharie CSD to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students even with this negative tax levy limit.
2021-22 Budget Information
SCSD budget development objective
To sustain the fiscal capacity of the school district in order to adequately provide for the programs and services for our students, not only for next year, but for years well into the future.
Budget Development Calendar
While certain times of the year see increased budget-related activity, developing a budget that both meets the needs of our students and reflects local residents’ input is a yearlong process. As such, the community is welcome and encouraged to participate in this process. The Budget Development Calendar lists the various steps in the process, as well as key dates.
Qualifications to register to vote with Schoharie CSD are as follows:
- You are a citizen of the United States
- You are at least 18 years of age
- You are a resident of the district for at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote date
- You are not a convicted felon
- You are not in jail or on parole for a felony conviction
- You are not adjudged by a court to be mentally incompetent
Following budget adoption, the district will make the proposed budget available to the public, hold a budget hearing (which will take place remotely), and mail a budget notice to all residents after the budget hearing. This procedure is no different than other years except for the hearing being held remotely.
Absentee Ballot Information
Eligible district residents who are unable to go to the polls on voting day can cast their votes by absentee ballot. For an application, call the Schoharie Central School District office at (518) 295-6679 or visit the office at 136 Academy Drive in Schoharie. Completed applications must be received by the district clerk at least seven days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally. All completed absentee ballots must be received by the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. on voting day.
The application for an absentee ballot is available here.
Public disclosure of absentee voters
Any person who wishes to examine the list of absentee voters to whom ballots have been issued may request access to such list by e-mailing the District Clerk at bmaland@schoharieschools.org. The District Clerk will provide such access by emailing such list to the voter.