Voters reject proposed budget and school bud proposition; Board of Education to meet May 30 to discuss next steps

On Tuesday, May 21, Minisink Valley Central School District residents rejected  the 2019-2020 school budget in a 1,795 to 1,168 vote.

The results showed 60.6 percent of voters opposed the proposed budget; 39.4 percent approved it.  It required a supermajority of 60 percent plus one to pass.

The $97.47 million proposed budget would have preserved all student programs with a $2,524,779, or 2.53 percent spending decrease from last year’s budget.

The 7.97 percent  tax levy increase was above the district’s maximum allowable level limit of -0.47 percent, as determined by the state’s tax cap law requiring why a supermajority approval.

When a proposed school budget is defeated at the polls, New York State law gives school boards three options. Board members may decide to put the same budget up for vote a second time, put a revised budget up for vote, or go directly to a contingency budget.

“While we are disappointed by the election results, we appreciate all community members who considered the district’s budget proposal and came out to the polls to cast their vote,” Superintendent  Brian Monahan said. “At our next Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 30, we will begin to discuss the district’s options and next steps.”

Also on the ballot

 Proposition 2

Residents rejected the purchase of 10 school buses for a total of $1,025,563, with 1,269 yes votes and 1,676 no votes.

Board of Education election results

There were three incumbent candidates on the ballot for three, 3-year-term seats commencing July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022. Vote totals were: Thomas Salamone: 1,637; Joseph Flaherty: 1,774; and William Cooper, 2,247.