Voters approve $52.9 million budget proposal

Greater Amsterdam School District residents overwhelmingly approved the 2008-09 budget proposal and both budget propositions.

Voters also elected three new members to the Board of Education on Tuesday.

Residents voted 1,018 - 461 in favor of the $52,949,297 budget proposal. The resulting tax levy will decrease 1.6 percent, or $282,084, from the current budget, even though total spending is up 6.52 percent.

Voters also approved both of the district's proposals. Residents voted
976 - 427 to allow the district to buy two 30-passenger buses and two
66-passengers buses to replace four aging buses. The maximum cost of the purchase is $350,000. Residents voted 778 - 519 to allow the district to sell two vacant parcels of land on Wallins Corner Road for $200,000.

Voters selected the following three candidates to serve thee-year terms on the school board: Sean J. Piasecki, 996 votes; Michael R. Parillo, 821 votes; and Patrick K. Krohn, 799 votes. As for the remaining two candidates, Sheree L. Patterson received 492 votes, while Sandra E. Cordova received 424.

To view the district's 2008-09 budget presentation, click here.

To view the district's 2008-09 budget brochure, click here.

Superintendent Ronald E. Limoncelli thanked the voters for supporting the budget, which he said balances the needs of both students and taxpayers.

"I am very pleased that residents of the Greater Amsterdam School District choose to approve the 2008-09 school budget," Limoncelli said. "The Board of Education, Finance Committee and administration spent a great deal of time developing the proposal, and I feel the result is a vote of confidence from the community."

Property tax rates will decline for six of the district's eight communities. Below is a chart with projected tax rates for all eight communities.