In an executive order issued on Friday, May 1, Gov. Cuomo announced that this year’s school budget vote and board of education election will take place on June 9, exclusively by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 public health crisis.
The executive order establishes a timeline of actions that schools must undertake leading up to this date, including sending an absentee ballot with a prepaid return envelope to all qualified voters. Qualified voters are defined as U.S. citizens who are 18 years or older and have lived in the district for at least 30 days prior to the vote.
On Monday, May 11, the district adopted a proposed budget of $67,563,088. Under the proposal, a 2.98% tax increase would maintain the K-12 education program for Queensbury students next year. Voters will also vote on a bus proposition to replace four aging school buses for $533,000. Approximately 68% of the bus purchases would be returned to the district in the form of future state aid, reducing the cost to taxpayers by $175,000.
On Tuesday, May 26, the district will hold a budget hearing (which will take place remotely), and mail a budget notice to all residents after the budget hearing. This procedure is no different than other years except for the hearing being held remotely.
Board of Education election
On June 9, voters will also elect candidates to fill two seats on the Queensbury Board of Education. Each seat is for a full five-year term. The Board of Education is the official policy-making body of the school district. It establishes operational policies, sets educational goals and standards, evaluates program effectiveness and works to develop an annual school budget that balances educational needs with community resources.