As superintendent, I want to ensure that we are providing the most up-to-date information about the budget process. We began preparation for the 2012-13 budget in November like other school districts in New York.

With declining State and Federal funding and additional mandates, Red Jacket is gearing up to face another challenging budget year. Factors affecting the 2012-13 school budget remain, with another year of double digit growth in health insurance premiums, double digit growth in mandated employer pension contributions, coupled with a new State imposed tax levy limit which will cap our community’s ability to off-set State aid reductions, unless you have a 60% voter approval support.

Students, staff and community members, it is my goal to protect the classroom, as much as possible, and keep with our mission of providing a quality education for all of our students cognizant that the State has reduced Red Jacket’s funding over 2 million dollars in revenues in the past several year. Yet, it still remains our goal to maintain zero growth in the operational budget for the third year.

With the loss of the Federal Stimulus and Jobs funding, it will be difficult to balance the zero growth budget without additional State aid, a two percent tax levy increase, and the use of district reserves. Please visit our Web and Facebook pages. It will be useful to you as we continue to provide budget information on the budget. Please check this site often as information will be updated throughout the budget season.