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Learn more about the proposed budget
Voters will have a
variety of opportunities to learn more about the proposed budget and to
ask questions during community meetings in the weeks leading up to the
May 20 vote, beginning with the May 6 budget hearing at 7 p.m. at Albany
High School.
Additional budget presentations are scheduled on the following days:
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May 12 -- Albany School of
Humanities (ASH), 108 Whitehall Rd.,
7 p.m.
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May 13 -- Philip Livingston
Magnet Academy, 315 Northern Blvd.,
7 p.m.
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May 14 -- Albany High School,
700 Washington Ave., 7 p.m.
The district also would be pleased to arrange meetings with any groups
in the community to offer a budget presentation and answer any questions
about the proposed spending plan. Please call 475-6010 if you would like
to arrange a meeting.
“It is our goal to assure
that every child receives the best we have to offer, and we welcome
questions and dialogue with students, parents and the broader
community," said board President William Barnette. |
The Board of Education unanimously has approved a proposed budget of $206.7 million for 2008-09, offering voters a comprehensive plan to
continue to provide excellent educational, social, health and
extracurricular services to all of the district's students.
The school board also has approved new voting
locations for select election districts in eight of the city's 15 wards
to enhance accessibility and convenience for voters. For more
information, including a searchable street directory to find your voting
location, visit Where Do I Vote?
The proposed budget,
approved at the board’s April 1 meeting, includes a 2.49 percent tax
levy increase and a 9.52 percent increase in overall spending. This is the earliest date that the board has approved a
budget proposal. The budget vote is set for Tuesday, May 20, with
polls open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Download the district's full
budget presentation in .pdf
format.
The proposed budget represents an estimated
increase of $39 per $100,000 of assessed value for city residents, $23
for those with Basic STAR savings and $9 for seniors with the Enhanced
STAR.
“The budget proposal
reflects the board's attempt to recognize the realities of fiscal
prudence, while not compromising on our top priority -- the education of
all of the district's students," said board President William Barnette.
“The board views the
proposed budget not merely as a cost, but as an investment
that supports a comprehensive blend of the high-quality educational,
social and emotional services that our students need and deserve as they
prepare to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
The budget proposal includes
expanded pre-kindergarten programs, enhanced acceleration opportunities
for middle school students and strong programming for students at every
level, including those in need of extra academic and emotional support.
“The unanimous support of
the Board of Education for this proposal is an indicator of our
efforts to match our fiscal responsibility to the community with our
primary mission as a school district – to educate and nurture all
students to be responsible citizens, critical thinkers and life-long
learners,” said Superintendent Eva C. Joseph, Ed.D.
