Voters statewide go to the polls Tue., May 17, to approve budgets for the 2016-17 school year and to elect Board of Education members. In Columbia and Greene counties, districts are seeking tax levy increases ranging from a .5 [point five] percent decrease in the Coxsackie-Athens district, to a high of 2.15 percent in the Hudson district. The majority of board races in the immediate area are uncontested. At least two districts offer a write-in opportunity for board candidates. Go to WGXC [dot] org, and click on "Newsroom" for more details.
Columbia County
Chatham Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $30.5 million spending plan, including a .8856 percent tax levy increase, for the 2016-17 school year. Three board seats are open. The names of six candidates will appear on the ballot: Craig Simmons, Steve Gilger, Wayne Coe, Muriel Faxon and Melony Spock.
Polls open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Mary E. Dardess Elementary School (50 Woodbridge Ave., Chatham).
Germantown Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $14.8 million spending plan, including a .64 percent tax levy increase, for the 2016-17 school year. Voters are also being asked to approve a second proposition to implement a system of walk-in voter registration on a daily basis at the district offices. Two board seats are open. The names of three candidates will appear on the ballot: Ralph DelPozzo, Lester Olsson and George Sharpe Sr.
Polls open 12 p.m. (noon) to 9 p.m. at Germantown Central School Lobby (123 Main St., Germantown).
Hudson City School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $45.5 million spending plan, including a 2.15 percent tax levy increase, for the 2016-17 school year. Three board seats are open: One five-year term, effective May 17; one three-year term, effective June 30; and one partial term seat, effective May 17 through June of 2018. The names of two candidates will appear on the ballot: Sumayyah Shabazz, and Linda Hopkins; Wilette Jones and Thomas DePietro, are pursuing a write-in opportunity. [Ed. note: DePietro is an active WGXC community programmer.]
Polls open 12 p.m. (noon) to 9 p.m. at John L. Edwards Primary School (360 State St., Hudson); Greenport Pumpber Company No. 1 Fire House (216 Green St., Hudson); and A.B. Shaw Fire House (67 NY Route 23, Claverack).
Ichabod Crane Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $38.1 million spending plan, including a .67 percent tax levy increase, for the 2016-17 school year. Voters are also being asked to approve a second proposition for the purchase of four school buses at a cost not to exceed $394,000. Three board seats are open. The names of four candidates will appear on the ballot: Michael Stead, Matthew Nelson, Anthony Welcome and Jeffrey Ouellette.
Polls open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Ichabod Crane High School Gymnasium (2910 U.S. 9, Valatie).
New Lebanon Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $12.6 million spending plan, which requires no tax levy increase. Four board seats are open: Three seats are for three-year terms; one seat is for two years to fill an unexpired term. The names of two candidates will appear on the ballot: Timothy Lambert and Sharon Putnam.
Polls open 12 p.m. (noon) to 9 p.m. at Walter B. Howard Elementary gymnasium (1478 Route 20, New Lebanon).
Taconic Hills Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $37.2 million spending plan, including a 2 percent tax levy increase. Four board seats are open. The names of five candidates will appear on the ballot: William Arp, Stephen Sanburn, Kevin Maisenbacher, Bonnie Torchia and Christine Perry.
Polls open 12 p.m. (noon) to 9 p.m. at Taconic Central School, Vets Room (73 County Route 11A, Craryville).

Greene County
Cairo-Durham Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $29 million spending plan, including a 1.19 percent tax levy increase. Voters will also be asked to approve three other propositions: To authorize the purchase of five school buses at a price not to exceed $443,000; authorize the establishment of a Capital Reserve Fund; and, approve the purchase of a parcel of land adjacent to Cairo Elementary School. Three board seats are open, but no published information is available on the candidates.
Polls open 12 p.m. (noon) to 9 p.m. at Cairo-Durham Middle School cafeteria (1301 NY-145, Cairo).
Catskill Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $39.4 million spending plan, including a .2 percent tax levy increase. Three board seats are open. The names of three candidates -- all incumbents -- will appear on the ballot: Andrew Jones, Christine Bower-Kirch and Sasha Kubicek.
Polls open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Catskill High School gymnasium (343 West Main St., Catskill).
Coxsackie-Athens Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $30 million spending plan, including a tax levy decrease of .5 percent. Three board seats are open. The names of three candidates will appear on the ballot: Joseph Garland III, Michael Donahue and Maureen Hanse.
Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Coxsackie Elementary School (24 Sunset Blvd., Coxsackie) and E.J. Arthur Elementary School (51 3rd St, Athens).
Greenville Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $29.5 million spending plan, including a tax levy increase of .99 percent. Voters will also be asked to approve two public library proposals, for Greenville Public Library and Rensselaerville Public Library. Two board seats are open. the names of two candidates (both incumbents) will appear on the ballot: Thomas Connolly and Jennifer Howard.
Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Scott M. Ellis Elementary School cafeteria (4976 NY-81, Greenville).
Hunter-Tannersville Central School District
In addition to approving the district's 2016-17 spending plan, voters will be asked to approve the purchase of two school buses at a price not to exceed $90,000. Two board seats are open: One five-year term and one, one-year term, effective May 18.
Voting times not published. Residents vote at Hunter Elementary School (7794 Main Street, Hunter).
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District
Voters are being asked to approve a $11.7 million spending plan, including a tax levy increase of .65 percent. One board seat is open. The name of one candidate will appear on the ballot: Teri Martin .
Polls open 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wyndham-Ashland-Jewett School cafeteria (Main St., Windham).