TURIN — The South Lewis Central School District's tentative budget would increase spending by 3.5 percent and the tax levy by 3.1 percent while bringing back a regular driver's education program.
Spending in the proposed 2008-09 budget will be set at $23,013,538, up $767,800 from $22,245,738 in 2007-08.
The tax levy, or total to be raised by property taxes, would increase by $212,123, from $6,842,650 to $7,054,773. Tax rates won't be determined until town assessment rolls are completed in late summer.
The proposed budget uses $876,000 from the fund balance to reduce taxes, down from $1,050,000 in the 2007-08 spending plan.
"We maintained the entire instructional program and kept the tax levy increase to a minimum," District Superintendent Frank C. House said.
The tentative budget also would add a full-time driver education instructor, 11/2 secretarial positions and a two-days-per-week psychologist, Mr. House said. The district many years ago cut the driver ed program during the school year, although it did maintain a summer program.
Energy costs are projected to increase by about 5 percent across the board, including a jump from $372,773 to $388,000 for diesel fuel.
An $851,075, or 6.1 percent increase in state aid — from $13.9 million to $14.8 million — helped to offset increased expenses. The district also will save $466,000 in debt service through the retirement of an energy performance bond issued in the mid-1990s for installation of energy-efficient lights and windows and a retirement system bond from five years ago, Mr. House said.
District residents on May 20 also will vote on a few propositions, including one that would increase funding for four public libraries from $16,000 to $40,000.
The public libraries in Constableville, Lyons Falls, Port Leyden and Turin have requested that funding for each of them through the school tax levy be increased from $4,000 to $10,000. If approved, the extra $24,000 would be added to the proposed tax levy.
"Public libraries have not received an increase in funding from New York state since 1998, and local support levels have not kept pace with the rising costs of fuel, insurance, materials and technology," states a release from the North Country Library System. "Each of the four libraries' total operating budgets in 2007 were less than $25,000."
Lewis County also provides some funding for its public libraries.
District residents will also be asked to support the purchase of three 66-passenger buses and one wheelchair bus for up to $389,185, and the proposed $18.7 million capital project.
