What's happening
This bill requires that both 60% of school board members and 50% of voters approve school budgets exceeding tax levy limits.
Why it matters
Raises the bar for school budget approvals above tax levy limits. by requiring not just a simple majority of voters, but also a supermajority (60%) of school board members to agree, making it more difficult for budgets that increase property taxes above state limits to pass.
Empowers both school boards and the public in fiscal decisions. , ensuring that significant tax increases must have strong support from both elected school officials and the local community, which could lead to more fiscally conservative budgeting or increased transparency and justification for higher spending.
May slow or reduce the frequency of tax levy limit overrides. , potentially limiting school districts' ability to increase funding for programs, staff, or facilities unless there is broad consensus, which could impact educational services or local tax rates depending on community priorities.
Could shift local school budget debates. , giving more leverage to dissenting board members and voters, and possibly leading to more negotiation and compromise on school spending proposals before they are brought for a public vote.
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Who cares
School boards and district trustees
The bill would require 60 percent approval from trustees or board members for school budgets and separate spending propositions that exceed the tax levy limit, subject to existing exclusions.
Qualified school district voters
The required budget ballot statement would specify 50 percent voter approval for an over-limit budget, replacing the current 60 percent voter threshold.
School district property taxpayers
The bill would change the approval requirements for school budgets and spending propositions that would push property tax levies above the statutory limit.
Headline styles
Change School Budget Vote Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
511
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to voting to approve school budgets that exceed the tax levy limits for the corresponding school year
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 6 and 9 of section 2023-a of the education law, as added by section 2 of part A of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, are amended to read as follows:
6. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in the event the trustee, trustees or board of education of a school district that is subject to the provisions of this section proposes a budget that will require a tax levy that exceeds the tax levy limit for the corresponding school year, not including any levy necessary to support the expenditures pursuant to subparagraphs (i) through (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision two of this section, then such budget shall be approved if sixty percent of the votes cast thereon by the trustee, trustees or board of education of a school district are in the affirmative.
(b) Where the trustee, trustees or board of education proposes a budget subject to the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the ballot for such budget shall include the following statement in substantially the same form: "Adoption of this budget requires a tax levy increase of which exceeds the statutory tax levy increase limit of for this school fiscal year and therefore exceeds the state tax cap and must be approved by sixty percent of the trustee, trustees or board of education members and fifty percent of the qualified voters present and voting."
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05081-01-9
A. 511 2
9. Nothing in this section shall preclude the trustee, trustees, or board of education of a school district, in their discretion, from submitting additional items of expenditures to the voters for approval as separate propositions or the voters from submitting propositions pursuant to sections two thousand eight and two thousand thirty-five of this part; provided however, except in the case of a proposition submitted for any expenditure contained within subparagraphs (i) through (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision two of this section, if any proposition, or propositions collectively that are subject to a vote on the same date, would require an expenditure of money that would require a tax levy and would result in the tax levy limit being exceeded for the corresponding school year then such proposition shall be approved if sixty percent of the votes cast thereon of the trustee, trustees or board of education members are in the affirmative.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to subdivisions 6 and 9 of section 2023-a of the education law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.