Kingston, Wallkill budgets pass; Pine Plains plan rejected

VOTERS in the Kingston and Wallkill school districts approved revised 2008-09 budgets on Tuesday, while Pine Plains voters rejected the same plan they turned down on May 20.

Kingston Superintendent Gerard Gretzinger said he was "thrilled" the district's $136.6 million proposal was approved by an unofficial tally of 2,802-2,557.

"Now we can move forward and continue to offer the programs we had been," Gretzinger said after the votes were tallied.

School board President Christopher Farrell said he was "very pleased" by the result.

The budget approved in Kingston on Tuesday is $1 million smaller the spending plan rejected on May 20. The rejected plan would have raised the district's property tax levy by 3.1 percent over the 2007-08 level; the new plan raises the levy by 1.76 percent.

The approved budget increases district spending by 4.42 percent over 2007-08. The rejected plan, which totaled $137.6 million, would have raised appropriations by 5.2 percent.

In Wallkill, voters on Tuesday approved a $61.2 million budget proposal, 903-816, according to Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Kevin Castle, who thanked voters for supporting the plan.

The budget is 4.29 percent larger than the 2007-08 spending plan and will increase the property tax levy by 7.1. percent.

The plan rejected on May 20 - which, at $61.7 million, was $500,000 larger than the budget approved on Tuesday - would have increased spending by 5.14 percent and the tax levy by 8.9 percent.

In Pine Plains, voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected the same $25.9 million budget proposal that they turned down on May 20. The vote - 317 in favor and 651 opposed - means the district will have to be on an austerity budget for the coming school year.

"The board tried its best to communicate the facts of the budget to the community, and the community communicated that it wasn't happy with it," said school board President Helene McQuade.

The proposed budget was 5.47 percent larger than Pine Plains' 2007-08 budget and would have raised the property tax levy by 10.76 percent.

By state law, an austerity budget cannot exceed the previous year's budget by more than 4 percent or 120 percent of the consumer price index, whichever is lower, and it restricts a district's ability to buy equipment, maintain and repair buildings and enter into contracts.

Also, McQuade said last week, school districts on contingency budgets cannot allow community groups to use their facilities for free.

To reach the austerity level, the Pine Plains school board must slash $528,235 from the twice-rejected spending plan. McQuade said the school board will meet tonight to discuss how to achieve that reduction.

Among items that could be cut, she said, are athletic programs, after-school transportation, field trips and supplies.

TWO OTHER districts where budget proposals were defeated last month - Hyde Park and Marlboro - opted to go directly to austerity budgets rather than hold a second public vote.

Under state law, an austerity budget is mandated after a second defeat.