BEAVER FALLS — Beaver River Central School District's proposed increase in the tax levy will drop from 9.15 percent to 5.24 percent, thanks to extra funding secured by state Sen. Joseph A. Griffo.

"We are just absolutely thrilled," District Superintendent Leueen Smithling said of the $160,000, one-time grant announced Monday afternoon.

"At a time when the Beaver River Central School District is doing everything it can to maintain budget stability standards, and at a time when the taxpayers of Beaver Falls cannot be expected to dig deeper, it was important to me to secure this funding at the proper level to support the students and teachers of the district," Sen. Griffo, R-Rome, said in a statement.

The district's proposed $16.19 million budget would increase spending by $697,545, or 4.5 percent.

The proposed levy, or amount to be raised by property taxes, was projected to increase by $374,244, to $4,465,144. However, by applying the $160,000 to tax relief, the district is now projecting a levy increase of $214,244, to $4,305,144.

"It appears that this aid will be able to help soften the blow of what could have been a devastating tax increase," Sen. Griffo said.

The district expects to receive $9,933,796 in regular state aid, an increase of $502,701.

However, district officials in February asked area state representatives for additional assistance due to some unbudgeted expenditures that cut into district reserves, leaving less available to offset a tax increase.

Those expenditures included a $73,116.41 repayment to Lewis County as part of an assessment challenge settlement on Adirondack International Speedway in New Bremen, last year's $150,000 buyout of former Superintendent Francine R. Shea's contract and higher-than-expected costs for energy and special education.

"I met with Superintendent Smithling even before the budget had passed, and she had raised a number of considerable issues that this district faced," said Sen. Griffo, who also served as keynote speaker May 1 at Beaver River's grade 9-12 honors convocation. "Once it was clear that the district needed more money than the formula was going to give Beaver River, I went to work to secure extra money that would help the schools."

The timing of Sen. Griffo's announcement was impeccable, since the district's annual budget hearing was held Monday night.

Mrs. Smithling commended the senator on securing the funding well before the May 20 budget vote.