On Tuesday, May 21, New York State voters went to the polls to decide the fate of local school budgets and elect members to school boards.
Most budgets throughout the five-county Catskills region passed. A few were voted down, and will now have 30 days to revise their budgets and put them up for a second vote. If a school's budget is voted down twice, the school must adopt a contingency budget subject to strict caps.
In Greene County, the Cairo-Durham Central School District's budget was rejected by voters, who also ousted all three incumbent school board members on the ballot in favor of newcomers. The district has been embroiled in controversy over the school board's proposal to reorganize the elementary schools by adopting a "Princeton Plan," with grades K-2 housed in one elementary school and grades 3-5 in the other. All three newly elected school board members oppose the Princeton Plan, the Daily Mail reports.
In Schoharie County, the Middleburgh Central School District's budget failed 399-374, and a proposition to purchase two buses failed 414-357. Middleburgh's proposed budget was below the state's new tax cap, the Daily Gazette reports.
In Ulster County, the Marlboro Central School District's voters rejected the budget by a resounding 1266-734, and ousted incumbent school board members James Sullivan and Ken Brooks by wide margins. Marlboro's budget would have decreased school spending 4.75 percent, but increased the tax rate by 15 percent, the Poughkeepsie Journal reports.
Below: Links to results of school budget and board of education elections held Tuesday, May 21, 2013, from school districts and/or local news accounts.
DELAWARE COUNTY
Andes School District: Budget passed
School website
Charlotte Valley Central School District: Results not yet available (will update)
Delaware Academy Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Star story
Downsville Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Star story
Franklin Central School District: Results not yet available (will update)
Hancock Central School District: Results not yet available (will update)
Margaretville Central School District: Budget passed
School website
Catskill Mountain News story
Roxbury Central School District: Budget passed
Mountain Eagle story
Sidney Central School District: Budget passed
School Facebook page
South Kortright Central School District: Budget passed
School Facebook page
Mountain Eagle story
Stamford Central School District: Results not yet available (will update)
Walton Central School District: Budget passed
WBNG story
GREENE COUNTY
Cairo-Durham Central School District: Budget failed
Daily Mail story
Catskill Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Mail story
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Mail story
Greenville Central School District: Budget passed
School website
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Mail story
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District: Budget passed
Daily Mail story
SCHOHARIE COUNTY
Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District: Budget passed
Times Journal story
Gilboa-Conesville Central School District: Budget passed
Times Journal story
Mountain Eagle story
Jefferson Central School District: Budget passed
Times Journal story
Mountain Eagle story
Middleburgh Central School District: Budget failed
Times Journal story
Daily Gazette story
Schoharie Central School District: Budget passed
Times Journal story
Sharon Springs Central School District: Budget passed
Times Journal story
SULLIVAN COUNTY
Eldred Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Fallsburg Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Liberty Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Livingston Manor Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Monticello Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Roscoe Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Sullivan West Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
Tri-Valley Central School District: Budget passed
Times Herald-Record story
ULSTER COUNTY
Ellenville Central School District: Budget passed
School website
Daily Freeman story
Highland Central School District: Budget passed
School website
New Paltz Times story
Kingston City School District: Budget passed
School website
Daily Freeman story
Marlboro Central School District: Budget failed
Daily Freeman story
New Paltz Central School District: Budget passed
New Paltz Times story
Poughkeepsie Journal story
Onteora Central School District: Budget passed
School website
Rondout Valley Central School District: Budget passed
School website
Daily Freeman story
Saugerties Central School District: Budget passed, board of education votes still being counted
Saugerties Times story
Daily Freeman story
Wallkill Central School District: Budget passed
Wallkill Valley Times story
