By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service
Genesee County property owners are marking May 20th on their calendars as that’s the day voting on the 2025-26 budget will take place in all eight school districts.
Here’s a school-by-school look at the approved or proposed budgets along with information on propositions and school board candidates. (Note, tax rates assume no change in full assessed value).
ALEXANDER
Budget — $22,975,670, up $216,942 or .95 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $6,503,155, up $124,386 or 1.95 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate — $15.08 per $1,000, up 30 cents from 2024-25.
Proposition — Equipment Purchases – $122,000; Computer Hardware: $7,000; Chromebooks: $64,000; Enclosed Trailer: $11,000; Bus Snow Remover: $40,000.
School board – Chris Mullen is running for another five-year term.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, 1-8 p.m., Alexander Middle High School.
BATAVIA
Budget – $63.3 million, up $3 million or approximately 5 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $20,790,870, up $451,534 or 2.2 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate — $16.05 per $1,000, up 35 cents from 2024-25.
School board – Chezeray Rolle is running again while Dan Schmidt is running for the seat held by John Marucci, who is not seeking another three-year term.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. For residents living north of Route 5 (Main St.), vote at Robert Morris, 80 Union St. (Multi-Purpose Room). For residents living south of Route 5 (Main St.), vote at Batavia High School, 260 State St. (BHS Library).
BYRON-BERGEN
Budget – $27,899,975, up $336,000 or 1.5 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $9,572,240, up 1.99 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate — $20.16 per $1,000.
Proposition – Purchase of two 70-passenger buses and one 7-passenger minivan for a cost not to exceed $389,000.
School board – Three open seats with terms from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, currently held by Heidi Ball, Kimberly Carlson and Jeffrey Cook.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. in Senior High gymnasium.
ELBA
Budget – $12,107,723, up $157,573 or 1.32 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $3,239,413, up $63,518 from 2024-25.
Tax rate — $14.84 per $1,000, down from $15.05 in 2024-25.
Propositions – No. 2: Establish a capital outlay replacement reserve of no more than $500,000 with a term of no more than 10 years; No. 3: Withdraw up to $95,000 from a capital bus and vehicle replacement reserve fund to buy a 28-passenger school bus.
School board – Michael Riner is running again for a five-year term.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, noon-8 p.m., school auditorium lobby.
LE ROY
Budget – $32,035,588, up $985,380 or 3.18 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $10,800,650, up $133,490 or 1.25 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate – Range from $15.76 to $17.51 per $1,000, depending upon the town; up about 20 cents from 2024-25.
Proposition – Spend $379,000 to support Woodward Memorial Library.
School board – Incumbents Rachael Greene and Peter Loftus are running unopposed for their three-year terms.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, noon-8 p.m., Wolcott Street School.
OAKFIELD-ALABAMA
Budget – $25,555,345, up $533,426 or 2.13 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $5,839,050, up $142,416 or 2.59 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate – Exact figures unavailable; proposed budget expected to increase annual property taxes by $43 on a home assessed at $100,000.
Proposition –Budget includes purchase of two small buses and one full-size bus at a cost not to exceed $450,500 (reimbursable by NYS for 90 percent of cost over five years).
School board – Kevin Beuler and incumbent Justin Staebell are running for open board seats, three-year terms.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Middle-High School community room.
PAVILION
Budget – $19,426,745, up $248,667 or 1.2 percent from 2024-25.
Tax levy — $6,154,150, up $208,112 or 3.5 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate – Varies depending upon town – ranged from $16.34 (Stafford) to $20.93 (Le Roy) for 2024-25.
Proposition –Increase the tax levy for Hollwedel Memorial Public Library from $132,600 to $138,600, beginning with the 2025 2026 school year and thereafter, until changed by further vote of the majority of electors of the Pavilion Central School District. Library board members Stephen Gould and Timothy Wasiewicz are running unopposed.
School board – Incumbents Callin Ayers-Tillotson and Margaret Gaston are running unopposed for two five-year terms.
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, noon-8 p.m., High School auditorium.
PEMBROKE
Budget – $27,076,309, down from $27,289,194 in 2024-25.
Tax levy — $9,532,290, up 3.5 percent from 2024-25.
Tax rate – TBD.
Proposition – No. 2: Purchase student transport vehicles at estimated cost of $511,969; No. 3: Spend $100,814 to fund the operating budget of the Corfu Public Library.
School board – Seat held by Jessica Edwards is up for election (five-year term).
Voting – Tuesday, May 20, 2-9 p.m., Junior-Senior High School.