Penn Yan school levy up 1.42 percent

PENN YAN--The Penn Yan school board of education approved the 2015-16 proposed budget during their meeting Wednesday, April 15, which contains a $17,518,663 tax levy, an increase of 1.42 percent more than the current year. Superintendent Howard Dennis and Assistant Superintendent of Business Cathy Milliman gave a presentation to the board with the updated numbers, indicating a total budget expense growth of 1.62 percent from the current year to a total of $33,607,526.
Milliman said the district received additional state aid for the 2015-16 budget, a $534,142 increase to $14,076,118. She added the district also reduced the amount they would be spending in reserves from $1.25 million in 2014-15 to $850,000 in 2015-16.
"It's good to use your reserves, but also we have got to be cautious that those are going to run out sometime," Milliman said.
Milliman said the proposed tax rate for the 2015-16 budget is $10.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value. However, Milliman said this was a "very rough number," adding it is using last year's data for assessments.
Milliman said the vote on the budget will be May 19 from noon to 8 p.m at the Penn Yan Academy gymnasium. Also on the ballot will be a proposal to purchase two, 65 passenger school buses and two, seven passenger Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles at a total estimated cost of $290,000.