When preparing a budget proposal for a given school year, Owego Apalachin school officials approach the process with a few things in mind.

One is to provide the best education and the most opportunities for students as possible. And with local taxpayers in mind, a second goal – to many, of equal importance – is to keep budget expenditures and tax levy increases in check.

With the district’s 2008-09 budget proposal, OA officials say they’ve done just that, and what’s more, they say this is the beginning of a much more stable trend in the district’s financial future.

“We are working hard at long-range fiscal planning and at tightly managing our district’s resources,” said Dr. Bill Russell, OA superintendent. “Both our expenditure increase and the corresponding increase in the tax levy in our proposed budget are below the rate of inflation.”

When local residents head to the polls from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at the district’s two elementary schools, they’ll be voting on a budget proposal that shows the lowest budget expenditure increase in 13 years.

The 2008-09 proposed budget contains a 3.51 percent budget increase, with a corresponding 2.68 percent tax levy hike. The last OA budget expenditure increase that was lower came in the 1995-1996 school year, when it was 3.50 percent.

This year’s proposed tax levy increase is the lowest in eight years.

“We considered several additional new projects in our proposed 2008-09 budget, which totals $40.2 million, but we decided to go only with those things we considered most essential,” said Dr. Russell.

Those new positions include two special education teachers (at OES and OAMS), one social worker (under a cost-sharing arrangement with Tioga County’s Department of Mental Hygiene), and an elementary school librarian.

“We’re very aware of the difficult financial situation facing New York state and local taxpayers throughout our district,” said Dr. Russell, “and we crafted our budget accordingly.”

Owego Apalachin will hold a public budget informational meeting tonight at 7:30 (Thursday, May 15), in the Apalachin Elementary School cafeteria.

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