Beacon Citizens Vote Today for 2016-2017 Beacon City School's Proposed Budget and 3 Board Members
The
highly anticipated day has arrived - the vote for the
proposed 2016-2017 Budget for Beacon City Schools, which includes a salary increase for teachers, the purchase of three buses and a van, and the vote for three open seats on the Board of Education, who include incumbent Tracy Antalek Everett; Meredith Heuer, chairperson of the
Beacon Arts & Education Foundation and professional photographer; Antony Tseng, an environmental engineer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and volunteer for the
Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps and for the
River Pool at Beacon (floating rainbow pool that sits in the Hudson River in Riverfront Park); and Michael Rutkoske, a capital asset program manager for Entergy Corporation.
The Highlands Current published an informative article about the budget contents from Beacon beat reporter Jeff Simms that covers the bulk of what is in the budget increase for the following school year. Interim Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi, who has worked within the district on the budget since 2005 as former Assistant Superintendent for Business, says that the budget maintains all existing programs and staffing levels, while delivering modest salary increases for teachers. She also notes that the proposed increase is the lowest it has ever been.
To achieve this, Quartironi says, whose career in the private sector includes being an Auditor for Earnst and Young, which means she likes a good budget, the District needs to dip into its reserves by $2 million, a trend that several schools are following due to state tax caps that limit property tax increases to 2%. Additionally, the District is losing a $50,000 grant it once had for being on the Focus List, the status of which has now been lifted due to improvements in carefully measured and targeted areas of students and curriculum by the state, or a $50,000 grant for school improvement. On the other hand, "the state legislature, increased its overall aid to the Beacon district by 2.5% — about $650,000 — over last year," according to the Highlands Current article, of which includes a lot more budget numbers that you should check out.
Voter information can be found at the Beacon City Schools website, and is as follows:
Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. There are two voting locations:
Beacon High School
For citizens who reside within the city limits of the City of Beacon.
Glenham Elementary School
For citizens who reside within the portions of the Town of Fishkill and Town of Wappinger that are within the Beacon City School Distict.
For assistance on determining your voting location please call 845-838-6900 ext. 2032.
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| Follow the signs to know where to vote at the Beacon High School today, Tuesday May 17, 2016. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin |
The Highlands Current published an informative article about the budget contents from Beacon beat reporter Jeff Simms that covers the bulk of what is in the budget increase for the following school year. Interim Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi, who has worked within the district on the budget since 2005 as former Assistant Superintendent for Business, says that the budget maintains all existing programs and staffing levels, while delivering modest salary increases for teachers. She also notes that the proposed increase is the lowest it has ever been.
To achieve this, Quartironi says, whose career in the private sector includes being an Auditor for Earnst and Young, which means she likes a good budget, the District needs to dip into its reserves by $2 million, a trend that several schools are following due to state tax caps that limit property tax increases to 2%. Additionally, the District is losing a $50,000 grant it once had for being on the Focus List, the status of which has now been lifted due to improvements in carefully measured and targeted areas of students and curriculum by the state, or a $50,000 grant for school improvement. On the other hand, "the state legislature, increased its overall aid to the Beacon district by 2.5% — about $650,000 — over last year," according to the Highlands Current article, of which includes a lot more budget numbers that you should check out.
 |
| Signage helping citizens know what to expect when voting. To learn more about what is in the proposed budget, read this article, and take a look at the budget itself. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin |
Voter information can be found at the Beacon City Schools website, and is as follows:
Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. There are two voting locations:
Beacon High School
For citizens who reside within the city limits of the City of Beacon.
Glenham Elementary School
For citizens who reside within the portions of the Town of Fishkill and Town of Wappinger that are within the Beacon City School Distict.
For assistance on determining your voting location please call 845-838-6900 ext. 2032.
 |
| Early morning at the Beacon High School, moments after the polls opened. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin |