School board says yes to budget revote on June 23

WARWICK-Warwick Valley Central School District voters will have another shot at approving the same $69.75 million budget they voted down just one month ago. The school board voted Monday to put the same budget up to the voters instead of a revised one. The proposed budget is an increase of 7.79 percent over last year's budget. Voters said no to the budget on May 17, defeating it by 15 votes. If the budget is not approved by voters, the district will move to an austerity, or contingency, budget, cutting approximately $1 million as mandated by the state. Some cost cutting ideas mentioned by the district include half-day kindergarten, reducing bus stops, eliminating the Arts in Education program, increasing elementary class sizes and reducing high school electives. The vote will take place on Thursday, June 23, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center at the Warwick Middle School, Pine Island Elementary School, and Kings Elementary School. The district must have its budget in place by July 1 under state law. School board holds special meetings next week The Warwick Valley Board of Education will hold a special meeting on Monday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room. The agenda will be policy adoptions and personnel. An executive session will follow. A special meeting also will be held on Thursday, June 23, at 9 p.m. in the Middle School Media Center to receive the results of the budget revote.