Rome, West Canada Valley Adopt New School Budgets

Voters in both the Rome City School District and West Canada Valley Central School District approved revised budgets Tuesday after rejecting earlier proposals last month.

The vote was especially close in Rome.

The district's revised spending plan passed by a vote of 1,104 to 1,065. In May, voters rejected Rome's original budget proposal by just 24 votes.

School officials went back to work and returned with a modified plan. The newly approved budget totals more than $165 million and carries a 2.5 percent tax levy increase. The original proposal was approximately $166 million and included a tax levy increase of nearly 2.9 percent.

Meanwhile, voters in the West Canada Valley School District approved a revised budget by a vote of 460 to 221.

That number was significant because the proposal required a supermajority to pass. District officials needed at least 409 yes votes because the spending plan exceeds the state's tax cap.

The district's original proposal totaled nearly $22 million and included a 15 percent tax levy increase. After voters rejected that budget in May, officials reduced spending to more than $21 million and lowered the tax levy increase to 9 percent.

Tuesday's vote gives both districts approved budgets in place for the upcoming school year.