Budget & Finance

School Budget Information

About the Annual School Budget Vote

In New York state, local school boards must annually develop a balanced school budget proposal and put it up for a public vote on the third Tuesday in May. This year, the vote will occur on Tuesday, May 21. District expenses may include salaries and benefits, curriculum, staff development, facilities maintenance and operation, transportation and debt service. Revenue includes state funding, federal funding, property taxes and appropriated fund balance.

The polling location will be located in the Harrisville Central School Library.

Budget Questions and Answers

Board of Education Election

Those who are interested in seeking election to the Harrisville Board of Education must file a completed petition packet with Jolie Snider, District Clerk for Harrisville. The deadline for petitions to be filed is toward the end of April each year.

• Petitions must include the signature of at least 25 qualified voters of the Harrisville Central School District.
• A candidate must be a qualified voter of the district.
• A candidate must be 18 years old.
• A candidate must be able to read and write.
• A candidate must have been a resident of the Harrisville Central School District for at least one year prior to the election.

Positions of candidates’ names on the ballot will be determined by a lottery.

Voter Information

Eligibility

To be eligible to vote, you must be:

• a citizen of the U.S.
• at least 18 years of age
• a legal resident of the district at least 30 days prior to the vote
• registered to vote in the general election or at a previous district special registration

Registration

If you are not a registered voter for the general election through the county, you may register specifically with the Harrisville Central School District for school votes only by contacting the district clerk.  

Early Voting and Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballot voting is available. The new Early Mail Voter Act effective Jan. 1, 2024, also allows for early voting via mail without any reasons needed for voting early. You must fill out an application to vote by early voting or absentee ballot. There are separate applications for voting by early voting or absentee ballot, but the application process and deadlines are the same for both.

To obtain an application or for more information, call the district office at (315) 543-2707.

If you would like a ballot mailed to you, your application must be received by 5 p.m. on May 14, 2024. If you plan to pick up your ballot, your application must be received by 5 p.m. on May 20, 2024. The completed ballot must be received by 5 p.m. on May 21, 2024.

NYS School Tax Relief (STAR)

New York State’s School Tax Relief Program, also known as STAR, provides partial school property tax savings to eligible homeowners. Most New Yorkers who own and live in their homes are eligible for STAR savings on their primary residences. Because the STAR program is not a district program, a taxpayer’s STAR savings are not factored into a school budget.

Whether you receive the STAR exemption or the credit, there are two types of STAR benefits:

Basic STAR

• Available for owner-occupied, primary residences;
• The income limit for the Basic STAR credit is $500,000 (the income limit for the Basic STAR exemption is $250,000);
• Based on the first $30,000 of the full value of a home

Enhanced STAR

• Provides an increased benefit for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with qualifying incomes:
  • $93,200 or less for the 2023-2024 school year
  • $98,700 or less for the 2024-2025 school year
• Based on the first $81,400 of the full value of a home for the 2023-2024 school year.

The STAR benefit applies only to school district taxes. It doesn’t apply to county, town, or city taxes, except in the cities of New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers and Syracuse. In those five cities, the exemption is applied partly to city taxes and partly to school taxes.

Note: Senior citizens receiving STAR may also be eligible for the senior citizens exemption. See New York State Department of Taxation and Finance’s Senior Citizens Exemption page to learn more.

Resources

Access resources from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance:

• Register for STAR
• Learn about STAR eligibility
• View Frequently Asked Questions
• Read STAR privacy notification
• Access a handout for new homeowners
• Learn how to report your STAR credit

2024-25 Budget Results

Harrisville voters approve $11.77 million budget, re-elect two board members

On May 21, Harrisville Central School District voters approved the district’s $11.77 million 2024-25 budget proposal, re-elected two board of education members and approved the purchase of two school buses. The budget proposition passed 66 to 11. 

District-related propositions

• A $11,774,879 budget for the 2024-25 school year that increases spending 1.82% ($210,228) and carries a tax levy increase of 3.99%: 66 yes; 11 no
• Purchasing two new school buses at a total cost not to exceed $315,990: 63 yes; 15 no

Board of Education election

Two candidates sought election to two open board of education seats and were re-elected:

• Kathy Felio (incumbent): 72 votes
• Tennille Schmitt (incumbent): 65 votes

The terms are five years each, beginning July 1, 2024.

Prior Budget Results

2023-24

• Budget total: $11,564,651
• Tax levy increase: 3.99%
• Spending increase: $243,190

2022-23

• Budget total: $11,321,461
• Tax levy increase: 1.8%
• Spending decrease: $323,273