Public voting on these budgets has been moved from the usual May 19 in-person vote to a mail-in ballot system, with ballots due back by June 9. School budgets need a majority vote to pass or a 60% “supermajority” vote to pass if they exceed the tax cap.

With an already cash-strapped state further thrust into money troubles by the coronavirus, state school aid is on the chopping block, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed additional future cuts as large as 20%.

In all three of the Tri-Lakes school districts — Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Lake Placid — the boards are expected to decide on the 2020-21 budgets before they hold budget public hearings.

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Saranac Lake

District Superintendent Diane Fox said the board of education will likely approve the budget at a meeting Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. A public budget hearing will then be held May 27 at 5:30 p.m. via Google Meet. Login information will be posted on the school website.

The tax cap limits the rate at which a school’s budget can rise each year. Though commonly referred to as the “2% tax cap” this title is a misnomer, and the the actual allowable increase to the tax levy for Saranac Lake this year is 2.25%. School Business Executive Cindy Moody said the budget will meet the tax cap. Moody said the current iteration of the draft budget is the final version that will go to the board.

Fox said the district needed to reduce $400,000 from the budget, which she said will be made through reductions to non-educational programs and some staff. She said she is not sure how many staff will be reduced yet, but that the district will try to eliminate as many positions through attrition as it can. She also said the district will try to not eliminate any programs, just reduce them.

Moody said the district has compiled a list of things that can be cut from the budget, or can not be purchased.

Moody said the district’s fund balance is “healthy,” if the school needs to dip into it due to further state aid cuts.

Fox said she believes the budget is “prudent” and won’t the district destitute next year.

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Tupper Lake

School Business Administrator Dan Bower said the district’s budget will be voted on by the school board on May 19, but that the current iteration if it may still be tinkered with before then, depending on state aid. A virtual public hearing will be held June 1.

The Tupper Lake district’s draft budget is expected to be below the tax cap this year, according to Bower. The tax cap this year is 3.16%. The current tax levy increase is 3.159%, which is below the cap.

Bower said he anticipates eliminating positions through attrition, reducing overtime and hourly wages by restructuring the school day, and possibly reducing BOCES services.

Bower said the district is not anticipating any course eliminations, but class sizes may be larger next year, as personnel is stretched.

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Lake Placid

District Superintendent Roger Catania said the school board will vote on its budget on May 19, and that the current iteration of the budget could still change before then. A public hearing for the budget will be held May 26 at 6 p.m.

The tax cap this year is set at 6.15%. Catania said it is so high because of a capital construction project which was voted on several years ago. Catania said the tax levy will be under the cap and that he is optimistic the community will support the budget.

Catania said board members wants to know more about how much state aid schools will receive before they finalize the tax levy.

“Every two weeks we’re hoping for additional information and clarity,” Catania said at a May 5 virtual board of education meeting. “We’ve received little additional news or information that could help the board make a decision about the budget. … We don’t know if the state budget will come in fully funded or whether it will come in as much as 20% reduced.”