Staff Report
May 20, 2008 04:00 am Voters in area school districts will go to the polls today to approve or reject 2008-09 budgets and select board of education candidates. Polls are open noon to 8 p.m. in most districts. Despite rising costs for fuel and food, most districts were able to use increases in state aid to keep their tax-levy increases in the range of the 2.8 percent inflation rate. The average increase in spending plans for 35 area schools is 5.2 percent, while the average boost in tax levies is 3.2 percent. Most schools also have propositions on their ballots to decide such issues as school bus purchases, funding for building repairs and fund transfers. Last year, voters approved all area budgets but one, as state lawmakers padded the state aid proposal offered by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Even the district suffering a defeat, Cherry Valley-Springfield, had a relatively small tax-levy hike of 2.9 percent. Many area districts also are electing some members to their boards of education today, but there are few contested races. Only 10 districts have board seats being filled with opposition: CV-S, Delhi, Downsville, Laurens, Middleburgh, Norwich, Richfield Springs, Sidney, Stamford and Unadilla Valley.
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