News Summary
In a recent voting period, 97% of school districts in New York successfully approved their budgets, reflecting strong community support. However, 42 districts sought overrides to the 2% property tax cap, with mixed results. The state is also transitioning to a zero-emission school bus fleet. The budget voting included numerous propositions for both diesel and electric buses, showcasing varying community support across districts. As financial stability and infrastructure improvements remain a priority, residents continue to stay updated on the budget results and school board elections.
New York – In a significant development for education funding in New York, 97% of school districts approved their budgets during a recent voting period held on May 20. This overwhelming support marks an even higher approval rate of 99% among districts operating within the confines of the state’s property tax cap.
Despite this success, 42 school districts attempted to seek overrides to the 2% property tax cap; however, 17 of these attempts were unsuccessful, as the law requires a supermajority for such measures to pass. As a result, these districts are expected to revise their budgets and present them for another vote as early as June.
Many districts faced difficulties in finalizing their budgets primarily due to delayed state budget approvals, which created unpredictability regarding their funding. To cope with these uncertainties, some districts resorted to using their rainy day funds to balance their budgets.
The state of New York is currently undergoing a significant transition towards a fully zero-emission electric school bus fleet by the year 2035. As a part of this shift, the budget for this year has allowed for a second two-year waiver concerning the mandate for purchasing electric buses, which highlights the state’s commitment to environmental sustainability in education transportation.
This most recent budget vote also included various propositions related to school transportation, with approximately 270 measures on the ballot, although the exact number of transportation propositions remains unknown. These propositions covered both diesel and electric buses, showcasing the dual approach many districts are taking amid the transition.
Among the districts that successfully approved their budgets were Ausable Valley Central School District with a proposed spending of $39,185,850 and a tax levy increase of 3.57%, and Beekmantown Central School District which proposed a spending plan of $57,176,023 with a 2.95% tax levy increase. Other districts such as Boquet Valley, Brushton-Moira, and Chateaugay also presented similar figures in terms of spending and tax levy adjustments.
Not all districts enjoyed the same level of success. VVS, for instance, fell short of the required 60% supermajority needed to exceed its tax levy limit. The approval rates from individual districts varied significantly, emphasizing a disparity in local community support for budget initiatives.
In addition to financial budget approvals, residents also voted on candidates for their school boards. The tally of election results is still ongoing, with various school districts announcing successful candidates who will serve in crucial governance roles within the educational system.
As the school year progresses, the focus on budgetary stability and infrastructure improvements—particularly in terms of transitioning to environmentally friendly transportation—remains a priority for New York state’s educational institutions.
Efforts to keep residents informed about budget result updates are being coordinated through multiple channels as results continue to be reported from different districts.
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Additional Resources
- NBC 5: New York School Budget Votes
- WKTV: Area School District Elections Results
- CNY Central: Central New York School Districts Budget Votes
- WGRZ: 2025 School Budget Votes
- WKBW: Western New York School Districts Budget Vote Results
- Wikipedia: Education in New York
- Google Search: New York school budget
- Google Scholar: New York education funding
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- Google News: New York school budget votes
