1. 2008-09 Budget Proposal
2007-08 Budget Proposal
Innovation: The Path to Excellence
Our goal is to develop a comprehensive budget
Our goal is to develop a comprehensive budget
that balances the educational needs of our
that balances the educational needsafford
students with what taxpayers can of our
students with what taxpayers can afford.
Dr. Brenda Myers, Superintendent
Mrs. Miriam Zubal
bmyers@groton.cnyric.org
President, Board of Education
607-898-5301
Dr. Brenda Myers
Sheri Shurtleff, Business Manager
Superintendent
sshurtle@groton.cnyric.org
www.grotoncs.org

2. Priorities
Priorities
••Fiscal Stability
Strategic Planning
• Organizational Efficiency
•Improve Student Performance
• Strategic Planning
•Maintain Facilities
• Student Performance
and Capital Assets

3. Priorities
• Facilities & Capital Assets
• Communication &
Public Information
• Wellness &
Conditioning
• Technology Integration

4. Cost Saving Strategies
•Transition Cost to BOCES
•Increased Monitoring of Special Ed. Costs
•Reassignment of Staff
•Expand Position to Libr. Media Specialist
•Develop Internal Expertise
•Share Promising Practices
•Provide Ongoing Training & Support
•Develop Five-Year Facility Plan
•Develop Partnerships

5. Where Do the $ Go?
Salaries & Benefits 66.7%
BOCES Services 16.6%
Bond Principal & Interest 7.0%
Maintenance & Bus Garage 2.3%
(Not Including Salaries, BOCES, & Utilities)
Utilities 1.6%
All Other 5.8%

6. What are the
Increases This Year?
BUS FUEL
BOCES
$60,000
$187,315
4%
13%
SPECIAL EDUCATON
$85,000
6%
ALL OTHER
DEBT SERVICE
$47,856
$654,969
3%
48%
PERSONNEL
$355,157
26%

7. Revenue Projection
State Aid $10,244,883
Tax Levy $ 4,623,131
Building Aid $ 998,399
Approp. Fund Balance $ 430,000
Medicaid $ 105,000
All Other $ 245,079
(Interest, E-Rate, Admissions, Refunds, Misc. Sales,
Gas Lease, Tuition, Donations)

8. Revenue Comparison
18,000,000
OTHER, 780,079
16,000,000
OTHER, 781,381
14,000,000
TAX LEVY, 4,623,598
TAX LEVY, 4,408,051
12,000,000
998,399
NYS BUILDING AID
10,000,000 438,524
NYS EXPENSE-BASED AIDS,
2,297,714
NYS EXPENSE-BASED AIDS,
2,149,969
8,000,000
6,000,000
NYS FOUNDATION AID,
NYS FOUNDATION AID,
4,000,000
7,946,702
7,478,270
2,000,000
0
2007-08 2008-09

9. Proposition #2
2 School Buses and 1 Van
•Total Cost: $209,144
•No Effect on 08-09 Levy
•Borrowed Funds to be Repaid over
5 Years
•State Aid will be Received over 5
Years: 83-85%

10. Proposition #3
Building Capital Reserve Fund
•Savings Account for Future Project
•Offset Local Share
•No Effect on Tax Levy
•Transfer Money from Unplanned Revenues
•Used Only with Voter Approval of Capital
Project

11. TAX LEVY
OPERATIONAL TOTAL
TAX LEVY COMPARISON BUDGET DEBT SERVICE BUDGET
2007-2008 Tax Levy 4,349,698 58,353 4,408,051
Estimated 2008-09 Tax Levy 4,454,577 168,554 4,623,131
Amount of Change 104,879 110,201 215,080
Percentage of Change to Total
2.38% 2.50% 4.88%
Levy Change

12. ESTIMATED TAX RATE
Operational
TAX RATE COMPARISON Budget Debt Service Total Budget
2007-2008 Tax Rate 20.30 0.27 20.57
Estimated 2008-09 Tax Rate * 18.20 0.45 18.65
Amount of Change (2.10) 0.18 (1.92)
Percentage of Change to
-10.21% 0.88% -9.33%
Total Rate Change

13. The Financial Picture
Proposed Budget Increase
Operational: $15,375,702 4.78%
Debt Service: $ 1,270,790 4.33%
Total: $16,646.493 9.11%
Tax Levy: $ 4,454,577 4.88%

14. Contingency Budget
•Groton’s Contingency Calculation Result is
Higher than Proposed Budget
Mandatory if Budget Defeated Twice by Voters
•Calculation Established by Law
•Limits Budget Increase to 3.36% plus Debt
Service and NYS Foundation Aid Increase
•Only Cuts to Equipment and Certain Non-
Contractual Salary Increases Would Be
Required – Totaling $59,486
•District Must Charge Public for Any Costs
Incurred for Use of Facilities

15. STAR
•Enhanced STAR (qualifying taxpayers over 65
must apply annually) reduces taxable
assessments by $56,000 and will save
approximately $1,185
•Basic STAR (on primary residence) reduces
assessment by $30,000 and will save
approximately $560

16. STAR Rebate
•Homeowners receiving Enhanced
STAR will receive a 25% increase
from last year
•Homeowners with Basic STAR will
receive same amount as last year.
•Only Taxpayers who are newly
eligible or who have moved need to
file

17. Questions?

18. Vote: Tuesday, May 20th
12:00 – 9:00 PM
District Office