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All but one budget approved in Columbia County
May 16, 2012 7:13 am
The Register Star is reporting Germantown Central School District voters rejected a $13.68 million budget, calling for a tax levy levy increase of 5.2 percent. The final tally was 514, or 55.4 percent, against the proposal, to 415, or 44.6 percent, in favor. Because the tax levy increase sought was higher than the prescribed tax cap, a super-majority (60 percent) was required for passage. Ralph DelPozzo was re-elected to the school board for a third term and newcomer Faydra Geraghty was elected to her first. The Ichabod Crane Central School District $33.95 million spending plan and required 2.56 percent tax levy increase passed easily. District voters said yes to purchasing four school buses and to the transfer of two school buildings to the village of Valatie and town of Kinderhook. Barbara-Anne Johnson-Heimroth, Cheryl Francoeur Trefzger and Jeffrey Ouellette were elected to the board; incumbent Bruce Naramore retained his seat. The $41.55 million budget calling for a 2.78 tax levy increase was passed by voters in the Hudson City School District. Newcomer Tiffany Martin Hamilton was approved to fill the one-year vacancy on the board and she was immediately sworn following certification of the vote. Carrie Otty will begin her five-year term July 1. Taconic Hills Central School District easily passed its $34.81 million budget and 1.88 tax levy increase. Anna Skoda and Glenn Schermerhorn were elected to fill the two board vacancies. Voters in the Chatham Central School District okayed its $28.3 million budget and 2.22 tax levy increase. Incumbents David O’Connor and Michael Clark retained their seats on the Board of Education; Jennifer Lindberg was elected to her first three-year term on the board. Voters in the New Lebanon Central School District approved that district's $12.44 million budget with no tax increase. Incumbents Monique Wood and Tracy Bingham were re-elected to the Board of Education. Read the stories in the Register Star.