School budgets should be passed
Bee Editorial
Those wanting to speak out against the 2008-09 school budgets had their chance, and to vote down a budget now would be backwards thinking.

The three town districts - Amherst, Sweet Home and Williamsville - have their spending plans ready for your consideration. Well, they have had them ready. For months actually.

First presented in February or March, the budgets are the result of hours of balancing, cutting and increasing. Unfortunately for the district, many of those numbers are handed to the administrators as is and can't be altered.

On Tuesday, May 20, you are asked to go to the polls to support the districts which have spent those hours trying to prepare a budget that meets numerous requirements, including the needs of taxpayers.

We watched as the budgets changed from preliminary to adopted. Those changes included tough decisions for the administrators and board members. No one wants to see cuts to programming or proposed teaching positions, but in the days when almost everyone is overextended, the districts needed to be fair to the residents.

Amherst was thrown into the spotlight when it suggested changing the nursing procedure in the private schools that fall within its boundaries. The option drew objections from the staff and parents. In the end, the idea was pulled from the table.

Williamsville board members sent the administration back to the drawing board when the preliminary budget carried a tax increase they weren't comfortable with. Now, if residents approve the proposed spending plan, they can expect a tax rate increase of 0-1 percent.

These are just two examples of how getting involved can lead to changes. But while the opportunity was there, most people didn't take advantage of it. Among the three districts, there were two speakers at the budget hearings held recently.

What is being presented for approval varies among the districts. Explanations of the budgets and how they will affect the tax rate can be found on page nine of this edition.

It was a tough year for the districts - rising costs of just about everything, and unfunded mandates from the state. That, while dealing with two major issues that are out of their hands: change in assessment and state aid.

We encourage voters to get out and approve the budgets presented. If you wanted to see the budgets fail then you should have spoken up sooner, not in the 11th hour.

Voting down a budget leaves the district with very few options.

Remember to vote yes on Tuesday, May 20.