CANANDAIGUA — Voters in the Canandaigua City School District will be asked to head to the polls from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 19 to weigh in on a $97,837,587 school budget for 2026-27 and to decide a school board election and bus purchase proposition.
Vote at the Canandaigua Primary-Elementary School Link Gymnasium, 90 W. Gibson St., Canandaigua, if you live in the city of Canandaigua; town of Canandaigua in voting districts 1, 2 and 3; and towns of East Bloomfield, Farmington, Gorham and Hopewell.
Vote at the Cheshire Fire Hall, 5439 state Route 5, Canandaigua, if you live in the town of Canandaigua in voting districts 4, 5, 6 and 7; and the towns of Bristol and South Bristol.
Here is more information about the proposed budget before voters.
If approved, what is the percentage tax increase?
The proposed tax increase is 2.73%.
How much in dollars and percentage would the proposed budget be over the current year?
The proposed budget is up $4,409,862, or 4.72%.
Where are the biggest areas of spending increases?
Employee benefits, employee salaries, special education student placements
Are there any areas of spending cuts or decreases?
After the elimination of 15 positions in the 2025–26 budget, this budget includes no program reductions, and only minor staffing adjustments are anticipated in 2026–27.
What will the new tax rate per $1,000 of assessed valuation be, and how much more would the owner of a $200,000 house pay in school taxes?
The projected tax rate for 2026-27 is $14.22 and the projected impact on a $200,000 house is a $76 increase for a home with basic STAR.
Besides the budget, what other propositions are on the ballot?
The purchase of four, 45-passenger buses and six, 74-passenger buses that run on gas and diesel, and $1,120,923 in funding for Wood Library in Canandaigua.
What are the biggest challenges in fashioning the budget?
“Creating a school budget while New York state fails to pass its budget on time has become the norm, only complicating the process at the local level. School districts across the state face statutory deadlines for budget development and voter approval, yet without clarity from the state, these requirements are exponentially more challenging. While the governor is proposing a 1% increase in school funding for the Canandaigua City School District, the Senate and Assembly are advocating for a 2% increase. While the greater 2% increase is appreciated, it falls woefully short of covering our natural growth expenses. Schools, like all of you, are experiencing sharp increases in costs due to inflation and rising living and operating costs and are thus having a challenging time this budget season.”
What does Canandaigua Superintendent Jamie Farr say on how this budget benefits students?
“We continue to take a measured approach, evaluating opportunities for efficiency and leveraging attrition when possible. Our proposed levy in this budget is 2.73%, which is lower than the levy in the last two years. The board and district personnel operate with a focus on maintaining academic opportunities through a relevant, high-impact curriculum and experiences, and we believe we have done just that with the 2026-27 budget.”
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canandaigua voters to decide the school budget — here are key numbers
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
