Voters across the state are headed to the polls to cast their ballots on school budgets, as well as elect members to school boards.

"NYSUT members are taxpayers, too" said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi, urging all members to participate in their local elections.

In all but the Big Five districts of Syracuse, Rochester, Yonkers, Buffalo and New York City, voters will consider budgets that increase spending an average of 2.35 percent.
The average statewide property tax levy increase is 1.89 percent.

If a school budget fails to gain approval on May 19, districts may put the same spending plan back up for a vote, put a revised budget up for a vote or adopt a contingency budget, which this year caps spending at 4 percent.