Holley School administrators and board members on Tuesday, May 8 presented a budget they say takes into consideration what the community can afford while still protecting the "educational soundness" of the district.

The district’s $14,551,780 proposed 2001-2002 budget represents a 4.68 percent increase over the 2000-2001 budget. The 2000-2001 budget was $13,901,583. The budget, if adopted during the May 15 vote, will increase the tax levy by 7.45 percent. This figure represents an increase of $1.57, from $20.97 to $22.54 per thousand of assessed valuation.

Theodore Welch, the district’s treasurer and school administrator, explained that with the full implementation of the state’s STAR tax reduction program, the average taxpayer in the district would likely see their taxes decrease by $100.

Although the proposed tax rate will be $22.54 per thousand of assessed valuation, a homeowner with a house assessed at $100,000 would be eligible to take a $30,000 reduction on that assessment, bringing the adjusted (taxable) value of the home to $70,000. The taxes for that home would be approximately $1,577.80.

Even with the proposed increase in taxes, Welch said the district has presented a fiscally sound proposal.

"We have presented a budget that is very favorable, especially compared to other districts which in many cases are presenting budgets with double digit increases," he said. "This is a very conscientious plan… one that the board worked on diligently."

Welch explained there were significant increases in health insurance premiums amounting to almost $234,000. The district will spend an additional $700,000 in the coming school year to accommodate special education students’ needs.

Conservative state aid figures of approximately $9 million were computed into the budget. The district will not have confirmed state aid figures until mid-August.

"We have to be fiscally conservative when figuring the state aid allocations," he said.

Taxpayer David Griggs questioned the board’s decision to spend $46,000 to implement a football program. "I urge you to reconsider the merits of including a football program," he said. Griggs indicated the money might be better spent in other areas of the budget.

He also expressed his displeasure at not having received a copy of the budget prior to the district’s annual meeting and budget hearing. "It might be money well spent to get the budget out to the people before the meeting," he said. "It’s a mistake not to give the people the budget before this meeting … it doesn’t foster good will and the public might think you are hiding information from them."

Welch explained the state’s mandates for presenting the budget to the public and the timing in which it must be accomplished. School board candidate Elaine Berg said it might be helpful to mail "even a one page summary" of the budget to the community before the annual meeting.

School Superintendent Vernon Hobbs was unable to attend the meeting, Welch said, because of a serious illness. In a letter to the community, Hobbs wrote, "The board of education worked to contain cost escalation while improving facilities and expanding programs for students."

The Holley Central School District, he writes, "is continuing to improve educational opportunities for students with the more effective utilization of current elementary and secondary teachers, provide additional secondary electives and maintain relatively low elementary class sizes."

In addition to voting on the school’s annual operating budget, voters will be asked to cast their vote on Proposition No. 1. The proposition is for the Community Free Library Budget appropriations. The tax levy for 2001-2002 for the library will be $71,389.

Library officials said the tax levy for 2001-2002 does not take into consideration a proposed expansion.