For information on the 2012-13 budget development process, click here.
You are entitled to vote in school district
elections if you are a U.S. citizen, 18 years or older and have been
a district resident for at least 30 days prior to the vote.
No pre-registration is required.
Personal identification is required.
Applications for absentee ballots for any vote
are available at the district office. All applications for an
absentee ballot must be received no later than 1 week prior to a
vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter. If the ballot is to
be picked up personally by the voter, the application can be filed
one day prior to the vote.
All ballots must be returned to the district clerk by 5 p.m. the day
of the vote.
1. All school
districts in New York State will vote on a single
statewide voting day-- the third Tuesday of May.
2. A public hearing must be held 7-14 days before the vote to explain the proposed budget.
3. The budget itself must be divided into three categories: program, administrative and capital. The public still votes on one single budget figure. However, in the printed materials provided by the district, voters must be able to see what proportion of spending goes to each of these three categories.
4. School boards cannot submit a budget more than twice to voters. If the first vote is defeated, a school board can opt for a contingency budget or resubmit the defeated budget or a revised budget to the community. After a second defeat, a board must adopt a contingency budget.
5. Under the new law, a contingency budget must carry a cap on new spending of 120% of the Consumer Price Index or 4%-whichever is less.
6. In a contingency budget, school boards must still honor employee contracts and follow state mandates. All cuts would come from non-mandated items.
Exceptions to the budget cap. Contingency budgets may exceed the cost of living cap on some items including:
• Capital projects
• Emergency repairs
• Costs associated with enrollment growth
• Gifts and grants
• Tax certiorari costs
• Court-ordered costs
• Expenditures of insurance proceeds
Shenendehowa's tax code is 581
