The results from June 16th’s Budget Vote:
Yes: 1087
No: 512
The proposed revised 2026-2027 budget totals $38,355,400, which is $250,000 lower than the previous proposal and $830,450 less than the 2025-2026 budget. To reach the 5.95% tax cap, the district made substantial reductions and operational changes, including staffing reductions through attrition, grade-level reorganization, reductions in counseling and student support services, reductions in arts, music, and technology staffing, transportation reductions, and expanded shared services through BOCES. The district also reduced supplies, delayed equipment replacement purchases, and utilized an additional $600,000 in fund balance support, bringing the total use of fund balance to $1.2 million. This level of fund balance usage will significantly affect the District’s overall fund balance moving forward.
If the revised budget is not approved by voters, New York State law requires the district to adopt a contingency budget, which would result in a 0% tax levy increase. A contingency budget will include additional reductions in academic programs, student support services, and athletics, including the elimination of all AuSable Valley athletics, along with further restrictions on district spending.
| Reductions at the Initial 12% Proposal |
- Class size reductions at KES 2nd, 4th
- Class size reduction at AFES 1st (attrition)
- Moving 6th grade to the middle school (reduction of 4 positions)
- Reduction of elementary music teacher (attrition)
- Reduction of elementary art position
- Reduction of elementary technology position at KES
- Reduction of BHSN Crisis Counselor to part time (grant funded)
- Reduction of .3 Counselor at KES (grant funded)
- High school special education reduction (attrition)
- Reduction of Coord. Student Affairs (grant funded)
- Reduction of 10 month high school typist position
- Reduction of Director of Counseling (attrition)
- Entering BOCES cafeteria CoSer
- Enter purchasing and payroll CoSer through BOCES
- Elimination of the 5 pm bus run
- Move district office to 2nd floor of AFES
- Reduction of external tax collector
| Additional Reductions at 5.95% Tax Cap |
- Reduction of 12 month high school typist position
- Elimination of all equipment purchases
- All extracurricular coordinators
- Speech Teacher
- Sports mergers due to participation
- Reduction of Athletic Trainer
- Reduction in supplies district wide
- Utilization of additional $600,000 of Fund Balance totaling $1.2 million
| Additional Reductions at Contingency Budget |
- French – 1 Teacher
- Math – 1 Teacher
- Music – 1 Teacher
- Art – 1 Teacher
- English – 1 Teacher (no reading 6, AIS and Leadership)
- Social Worker Reduction
- PE reduction (loss of Athletic Coordinator)
- Essex Co Prevention
- All AVCS athletics
