Pine Plains budget 1.68-percent increase

PINE PLAINS — If approved by voters on May 18, the 2010-11 Pine Plains Central School District budget will increase by approximately 1.68 percent to roughly $26.87 million.

Yet the tax levy is estimated to increase by 7.86 percent under that budget, due in part to large cuts in state aid and increased costs associated with staff retirement and health coverage.

The Pine Plains district received the most significant proposed cut to state aid in all of Dutchess County, approximately a 16-percent, or roughly $1.2 million, reduction.

To get to the current budget proposal, Pine Plains found a total of roughly $726,000 in savings; $189,000 was saved through reductions to BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) programs, after the district evaluated its needs after a student-by-student review.

Roughly $520,000 was saved through staff reductions. Through efficiencies gained from the upcoming elementary reconfiguration (starting next year Cold Spring Elementary will house all students in kindergarten to grade two in the district while all third- to fifth-grade students will attend Seymour Smith), the district found savings by not replacing  two elementary school and one middle school full-time equivalent (FTE) positions after retirements.

Additionally, two FTE positions in speech and hearing were replaced, but at a lower salary. Finally, one FTE in foreign language was not replaced after retirement.

Separate from voting on the budget, taxpayers will also be presented with a proposition to purchase two 65-passenger buses, three 12-passenger buses and one passenger van at an estimated maximum cost of $374,000.

Polling places

The location of polling places in the school district is as follows:

District No. 1: Stissing Mountain Middle/Senior High School in Pine Plains (for all district residents in the towns of Pine Plains, Milan, North East and Ancram and Gallatin residents east of the Taconic State Parkway)

District No. 2: Stanford Town Hall in Stanfordville (for all district residents of the towns of Stanford and Clinton)

District No. 3: Elizaville Firehouse in Elizaville (for all district residents of the towns of Clermont and Livingston and Gallatin residents west of the Taconic State Parkway)

All locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.