Canton school board OKs budget Spending up $2.3M; increase mostly due to health insurance costs

The Canton Central School Board of Education voted to adopt the 2023-24 budget during Tuesday's meeting.

The spending plan totals $37,160,000, an increase of $2,354,276 over the 2022-23 budget.

The tax levy is $11,098,667, an increase of 3.16% over last year or $339,875. The tax cap for the school's fiscal year is 3.16%.

Employee benefits have driven most of the increase, according to the presentation prepared for the board. A projected increase in health insurance costs of 20% is the central portion of that.

On the budget's revenue side, the district expects more than $20 million in state aid, $11,098,667 in the tax levy and STAR reimbursements and $500,000 from other sources.

For the third year, the district will take a large sum from its fund balance and reserves to balance the plan.

For the 2023-24 school year, the district will use $5,306,715 from its fund balance. In the 2022-23 school year, the budget included nearly $4 million in reserve funds and in 2021-22 nearly $3 million.

Board members Victor Rycroft, Wendy Todd, Arthur Quackenbush, Robert Larrabee, Denise Sero, and Jessica Sierk voted to adopt the budget. Board members Christina Martin voted no and Christopher Marquart abstained.

A public hearing will be held on the budget at 6:45 p.m. May 4 in the high school library as part of the board's regular meeting.

The public will vote on the budget from noon to 8 p.m. May 16.

There will be three school board seats on the ballot.

Petitions to appear on the ballot have been received from Daniel Thomas, Catherine Devins and Esther Oey.