School district elections are taking place across New York Tuesday. Voters will elect school board members and decide whether or not to accept proposed school budgets and spending propositions.
If voters reject a school district’s proposed budget, the district will either adopt a contingency budget or hold a revote.
The tax levy, the funding the district receives from property taxes, will not increase under a contingency budget. It would also restrict the district’s spending on any nonessential costs and require it to charge outside groups to use school facilities.
Here are some of the budgets and spending propositions on the ballot this year in the Binghamton area:
Binghamton City School District
The Binghamton City School District has proposed a nearly $155 million spending plan for 2025-26, a 3.8% increase compared to last school year.
The budget also calls for an around 3.3% increase in the amount of money collected from property taxes. According to the district, the overall tax base has increased this year “as two PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) projects have come back on the tax rolls.”
There are also two candidates vying for one five-year term on the school board.
Candidate and district parent Robert Moore is a youth pastor with experience working in the district as a substitute teacher and teaching assistant.
Also in the running is Jesula Saintus, a youth manager at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Binghamton who founded a local organization that offers educational programming.
Voters can cast their ballots from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Polling locations are available here.
Vestal Central School District
The Vestal Central School District’s $97 million spending plan calls for an increase of 7.16% compared to last year’s budget. That would come with a tax levy increase of around two percent.
The school district is still in the process of negotiating a contract with the Vestal Teachers’ Association. Their previous contract expired in June 2024. Negotiations have stalled over planned raises for teachers and health and retirement plans, among other things.
There are three seats open on the Vestal Board of Education for three-year terms expiring in June 2028. Three candidates are running for those seats.
Incumbent Shoba Agneshwar is president of the board and served on the Vestal Town Board until 2018, as well as several school board committees. Candidate Brian Gorman is a retired U.S. Navy Master Chief and currently works as a plant engineering manager for Phoenix LLC in Endicott. Lisa Cook is on the BOCES Teachers’ Association and works as an occupational therapist at Broome-Tioga BOCES.
Voters can cast their ballots from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Vestal Central Junior Building at 201 Main St.
Union Endicott Central School District
Union Endicott Central School District has proposed an around 3.3%increase in its budget. The $108 million budget comes with a 1.75% increase in the amount of money collected from property taxes.
Three candidates are running for one open school board seat. Candidate Dodie Ainslie previously worked as principal of BT BOCES’ Virtual Learning Academy and served on a Union-Endicott school board advisory team on equity and student achievement.
District parent David Jensen is also running. Jensen was a member of the Broome County Legislature and served in the Army and Army Reserves.
Candidate Shannon Sharpe worked as a “Beautification Coordinator” at the district and works with nonprofits. She was previously President of Democratic Women of Broome County and went to school in the district.
The polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the district office at 1100 East Main St.
Johnson City Central School District
Johnson City Central School District has a nearly 8% increase in its $78 million budget on the ballot. However, the proposal would not increase the tax levy at all.
Two five-year seats on the school board will expire in June. Candidate Milton Harding is currently serving as an interim member of the board and is running for a permanent seat.
The polls for Johnson City’s school elections will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Johnson City High School Tuesday.