By a 720-244 vote, residents of the Beacon City School District on Tuesday (May 21) approved an $83.9 million spending plan, an increase of 3 percent, for 2024-25. The tax levy rises to $47.7 million, a 3.9 percent increase that is the maximum allowed under the state’s tax cap.
The turnout was 6 percent of registered voters.
According to the district, the annual increase for a Beacon resident who owns a home worth $425,000 about the median value in Dutchess, would be about $88. For Fishkill and Wappinger residents in the district, the estimated increase would be $100 and $106, respectively.
Voters also filled three open seats on the school board, returning incumbent Flora Stadler, who received 695 votes, and electing newcomers LaVonne McNair (657) and Chris Lewine (596). Each will serve a three-year term. Meg Phillips received 514 votes and was not elected.
Stadler will fill a seat vacated last year by John Galloway Jr., who resigned, while McNair and Lewine will take Stadler’s seat and that of Yunice Heath, who did not run for a second term. They will take their seats on July 1. The other board members are Meredith Heuer, Kristan Flynn, Alena Kush, Semra Ercin, Anthony White and Eric Schetter.
Lewine, a former high school principal and math teacher, is the chief of data strategy and product innovation for Connecticut RISE Network. McNair is an analyst with Carrington Mortgage Services and a board member of I Am Beacon.
In addition to the budget, voters were asked to approve $50 million in spending on an array of capital projects, including heating, ventilation and energy-efficiency upgrades, new roofs on some buildings, an upgraded stage and theater at Beacon High School and new playground equipment at Sargent and Glenham elementaries. That passed 711-244.
A third proposal would allow the district to purchase a second electric school bus. Voters approved buying one electric bus last year but it has yet to be purchased. The district has received approval from New York State for vouchers providing $257,250 for each bus, which, including a charger, sells for $495,000. That passed 595-364.
A fourth proposition, which passed 668-289, permits the district to spend $485,000 to buy three 72-passenger, gas-powered buses.
Of course I support converting school buses to electric, but most people I know in Beacon don’t get bus service for their children because the city is so small. Having more density should provide more opportunities for students to take the bus, even if they live closer than a mile from school. I can’t let my daughter walk alone yet, so we would love to have bus service. [via Instagram]
I hope this $50 million investment will improve academic ratings. According to GreatSchools.org, Beacon’s elementary and middle schools rate as low as 3 on a scale of 10, and the high school is 5 out of 10. This poor education is not serving our children well. [via Instagram]
The school board asked for the maximum tax increase allowed by the state in a city where many people already can’t afford the taxes. Taxes are up, wages are flat, services have not increased and the parks have dog shit all over them. What a city. [via Instagram]