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Most local school budgets approved; Pittsford fails to reach super majority needed to exceed cap

Nearly all  area school district budgets passed in Tuesday’s voting.

But in Pittsford, not enough people favored the budget to meet the 60 percent threshold needed for a ‘super majority’ since the district wanted to exceed the state tax cap.

The vote was 3,687 people in favor of the budget, 3,207 against.

Among the reasons district officials wanted to exceed the tax cap was to pay for full-day kindergarten in Pittsford, which many districts across the state now offer.

Superintendent Michael Pero says the district will now be reviewing feedback voters gave at the polls to determine the next step.

He says the options include:

·         Immediately pursue a Contingent Budget (over $6 million in cuts)

·         Hold a second vote at or below the tax cap (reduce programs/services)

·         Hold a second vote with the same proposed budget as was offered on May 16, 2017

·         Hold a second vote with a higher tax levy than today’s proposed budget (increase programs/services)

If a second vote is held on the budget,  it would be on June 20th.

Among the other votes closely watched was in the Fairport School District, where the proposed budget cut 38 positions including 26 teachers. That spending plan passed by a more than two to one margin, 1782 to 676.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.