Voters in six regional school districts will be taking re-votes Tuesdays on revised school budgets. Voting will take place in the six districts where voters rejected a budget proposal on the ballot a month ago.
The most acrimonious budget has been in Clarence where School Board President Michael Lex says the future of a successful district is at stake.
"The Clarence district stands on the brink of educational insolvency," said Lex. "Defeat of this budget will undo a long-held tradition of academic excellence in this community and precipitate a powerful shift toward mediocrity. The board ultimately believes in the citizens of this community and we trust that good hearts and truth will prevail."
Districts are squeezed between leaner days in state aid from Albany and rising costs.
In some districts, to get budgets passed, there have been major early retirement incentives while other districts are cutting programs like music or laying off young teachers who are the long-term future of the district.
Voters in Bemus Point in Chautauqua County and Wilson in Niagara County will also take a re-vote Tuesday on the same spending plans. Other districts have made further spending cuts.
If Niagara-Wheatfield's plan goes down, the budget would have to be cut another $1.25 million.
This is a make-or-break budget for the districts. Under the law which created the property tax cap, districts can only have two votes. If the budget goes down a second time, the district has to go to a contingency budget which will require more cuts.
