Churchville-Chili Central School District’s proposed 2001-2002 budget is up more than 8.5 percent over this year, with 5.4 percent in new spending and 3.2 percent in new debt.

If voters pass the $49 million budget May 15, residents will see a 3.8 percent increase in taxes next year. Homeowners would pay $21.92 per $1,000 of assessed value, up from $21.10. The tax bill on a $90,000 home would go from $1,899 to $1,972.

Of the new spending this year, 4.4 percent of it is going to support the current program, according to Superintendent of Schools Mary Alice Price. "We have seen two huge increases in employee benefits," she said during a budget presentation May 1. She said budgets in every school district, village and town will reflect the increases in health care costs handed down by providers this year.

The remaining one percent will be spent on additional staff in secondary level math and science, to accommodate increased requirements for high school seniors, to add school-to-career programs, for staff development, and to hire support for bus mechanics. "We are working to get the money closest to the students," Price said.

As part of a plan to improve athletics, $30,732 is being spent to add modified girls’ and boys’ lacrosse teams and a modified football team. "We try to add something every year," Price said.

Per-pupil spending in the district, at $6,374 in the proposed budget, remains below the Monroe County average of $7,265.

"We have been closing that gap a little bit," Price said. "Even though we are below the mean we are one of the lowest wealth districts … almost all of our money comes from (residential) tax dollars, not from corporations."

While the district has not experienced much growth this year, Price said with the building taking place in the community, the potential for growth, is significant. Administrator, faculty and staff contracts are an area where increased spending will be necessary, she said.

"It is getting increasingly difficult to find teachers in some certification areas, and administrators in most areas. We need to be competitive," she said.

The increase in new debt in the budget is related to the building project -- approved last year and scheduled to begin this summer -- and the energy performance contract, most of which will be offset by state aid.

Three propositions will appear on the ballot May 15, number one being the budget. Proposition two is for authorization to purchase buses as part of a 10-year replacement plan, and is on the ballot each year.

The third proposition asks voters to approve the creation of a capital reserve fund of $10,000,000 over ten years for building renovations, expansion, and to purchase land. The money for the fund would not come from additional tax dollars, but from unexpected revenues and left-over money at the end of the year.

Voting will take place in the middle school gym C, Tuesday May 15, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.