On May 15th, voters across the state set a new record passage rate for school budgets when 648 budgets were approved and just 32 were defeated - a 95.3% approval rate. This 95.3% approval rate exceeded the previous record of 93.8% that was set back in 2003.

This 95.3% approval rate is a significant improvement over last year's approval rate of 88.7%, and the 83.5% approval rate in 2005.

One factor that likely contributed to the record passage rate was that according to the Property Tax Report Cards, the average tax levy increase contained in the proposed 2007-08 school budgets was 3.9%, which is significantly lower than the 7.2% average tax levy increase from 2006-07 and the 6.9% average statewide increase for 2005-06. The smaller average tax levy increase for 2007-08 is attributable to the record amount of school aid that was provided in the 2007 state budget.

Districts with a defeated budget may resubmit the same budget to the voters, resubmit a revised budget to the voters, or adopt a contingency budget. If a second budget proposal is defeated, the district must adopt a contingency budget. Spending increases under a contingency budget are capped at 3.84 percent over last year's level. Certain expenditures are exempt from the contingency budget cap, including any expenditures associated with the new Contract for Excellence and any expenditure increases for charter school payments.

If a school district chooses to have a budget revote, it must occur on June 19th. This is the first year that all budget revotes must occur on the same day - the third Tuesday in June.

Following is a listing of those districts that had their budget defeated.

2007 Budget Defeats (by county)

ALBANY

• Albany

CHENANGO

• Otselic Valley

DUTCHESS

• Pawling
• Webutuck

FULTON

• Gloversville

GREENE

• Cairo-Durham

HERKIMER

• Dolgeville

JEFFERSON

• General Brown

LIVINGSTON

• York

MONROE

• Greece

MONTGOMERY

• Amsterdam

NASSAU

• Roosevelt
• Westbury

ONEIDA

• Clinton

ORANGE

• Highland Falls
• Tuxedo

OTSEGO

• Cherry Valley-Springfield

RENSSELEAR

• Hoosic Valley

ST. LAWRENCE

• Morristown

SARATOGA

• South Glens Falls

STEUBEN

• Canisteo/Greenwood
• Corning

SUFFOLK

• Brentwood
• Fire Island
• Mt. Sinai
• Patchogue-Medford
• Wyandanch

TOMPKINS

• Ithaca

WAYNE

• Naples

WESTCHESTER

• Greenburgh
• Mamaroneck
• Pleasantville