Somers Sets Hearing On $94 Million School Budget For 2020-21

SOMERS, NY — The Somers Central School District will hold its annual budget hearing on May 26 this year, this time by videoconference. That's only one of the many changes forced on the district by the new coronavirus pandemic in New York.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has warned that the economic effect of the shutdown imposed to curb the outbreak could mean much less money available for state education aid. The state will be assessing and adjusting its budget several times in the course of 2020. Cuomo's last estimate was that state aid would be 20 percent lower than already promised.

But, Somers' budget grew by 1.05 percent, or $981,602, from the 2019-2020 school year.

The proposed spending Somers' administrators and trustees are putting before voters is $94.6 million. The proposed increase in the tax levy is 1.69 percent over the current year.

Somers officials intend to support existing educational programming while adding initiatives like STEM and Gifted & Talented education. It said its 2020-21 budget should help the district maintain fiscal stability for the upcoming school year and beyond.

You can check out the draft spending plan for 2020-21.

The school board will hold its annual budget hearing at 8 p.m. May 26. Exact details about the live-stream meeting have not been released. Check Somers' website for more information as the meeting approaches.

Things to know:

• School district budget votes and school board elections are by absentee ballot only in 2020.
• Absentee ballots will be mailed to all registered voters in the district the week of May 25.
• If you are not registered, you may register by mail with the County Board of Elections or apply through the state online.

To vote, you must be:

• A United States citizen
• At least 18 yrs of age by June 9, 2020
• A resident of the district by May 10, 2020
• Cannot have been disqualified from voting based upon a reason described in Election Law §5-106.