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.

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 want 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.”