SHERBURNE – Sherburne-Earlville Central School held its Board of Education (BOE) meeting and overviewed budgetary constraints for the upcoming academic year. It also went over the 2014-15 budget that will be voted on from noon to 9 p.m. on May 20 by residents in the S-E school district in the elementary school lobby and high school auditorium.

The budget to be voted on totals $31,387,341, which is a 4.88 percent increase from the 2013-2014 academic year. The tax levy is 1.4 percent, totaling $6,844,279 (an increase of $94,497 from 2013-14).

“(The tax levy) is actually lower (than previous years) because its based on the consumer price index,” said Todd Griffin, Assistant Superintendent for Business. “It's lower for this budget cycle. We had been going out at 1.9 percent.”

He explained that because of state officials and the media, the community believes school districts are required to stay under a 2 percent tax cap. In reality, S-E and other school districts are allowed to go over a 2 percent tax cap through formulas that are provided by the state.

“You can do that if the computation allows you to,” said Griffin and explained that S-E's computation would allow the tax levy to go up to 2.59 percent. But the BOE did not want to go over 2 percent as that is what most people in the district understand the tax cap to be.

One of the largest proposals for 2014-15 is the purchase of five Chevrolet Tahoes, which will have touchdown systems and radios for communication installed, for a total of $212,562.50 (as per a BOCES Bid review). The proposal was brought up at a previous meeting because the vehicles are not in the best of shape. Three 2007 Chevy Uplanders and two 2006 Jeeps will be replaced. The funds for this expense will come from the capital reserve to cover the initial purchase, but transportation aid is scheduled to reimburse 90 percent of the cost. This leaves $21,256.25 of out of pocket expense for all vehicles.