Kendall holds the line on taxes

Taxpayers in the Kendall Central School district will be asked to vote on a proposed budget that brings with it a 5.4 percent increase, or about 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

On April 20, the board of education adopted a proposed budget of $13,590,459 for the 2004-05 school year. The 5.4 percent increase was driven primarily by mandatory payments to the retirement system, health insurance increases. To offset the increases, the board reduced expenditures by $166,266 and transferred $75,000 from reserve funds to reduce taxes.

Because the New York State Legislature has not passed its budget yet, the district has no clear way of knowing what amount of state aid it will receive. Kendall School Board President Don Snyder said it is nearly impossible to accurately project the tax rate at this time but it appears that it will be about $26 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Superintendent Michael O'Laughlin said the district made its big cuts last year - $420,000 - so they were able to offer voters a conservative budget. "We were able to hold the line instructionally by making cuts on buildings and grounds costs," he said. "We think we have presented a budget that the voters will support."

At the same time the residents are voting on the budget, they will be asked to select two board members to the board of education. Richard Spurr and Lucille Welch are both seeking spots on the board. The highest vote-getter will fill the five year seat of Katherine Flaherty, the other will fill the remaining three years of Bill Ottman's seat.

Voting will be Tuesday, May 18 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the elementary school.