Budget & School Taxes
Johnstown voters approve $41,021,071 budget for 2022-2023 school year
The Greater Johnstown School District community approved the district’s $41,021,071 budget proposal for the 2022-23 school year on Tuesday, May 17 by a vote of 541-209, a margin of 72%.
“A school’s budget is an expense plan that is thoughtfully and carefully developed to support its operations and local, state and federal educational requirements. It is also an expression of the community’s value placed on the education of its youngest citizens,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. William Crankshaw said.
“The vote on the 2022-2023 school budget is a clear indication of our community’s commitment to a strong school district. I am very enthusiastic and optimistic about the future of the Greater Johnstown School District, and would like to thank our citizens for their confidence and continued support,” he added.
The 2022-23 school budget reflects a 2.63% ($1,053,082) increase in spending and a property tax levy increase of 4.84% ($519,447), which is at the District’s allowable limit as calculated under the state’s “tax cap” formula. A simple majority (more than 50%) was required to pass the budget.
This marks the second consecutive year that the District’s proposed tax levy increase stayed within the cap, with unanimous voter approval of the budget (2021 and 2022). The prior three years (2018, 2019 and 2020) the District needed a supermajority vote (60% or more) to exceed the maximum allowable tax levy, but ultimately failed to garner the necessary voter approval. The community participated in re-votes all three years and passed the budget on the second attempt.
“As a District, we have been diligent in our efforts to return to a budget that supports current programming and expansion where necessary, while being careful not to pass unnecessary financial burden on to our community and managing our reserves in a way that strengthens the fiscal health of this District,” Crankshaw said. “Hard work has paid off, as the District is seeing financial stability, which ultimately results in some long overdue consistency for the taxpayers of this community.”
2022-23 Budget Book
A PDF copy of the proposed 2022-2023 Budget Document, with required attachments, is available to view or print. Also available are the 2020-2021 Financial Transparency Report and NYS Report Card Update. Additional data regarding NYS school districts is available at data.nysed.gov.
When is the Annual Budget Vote & Board Election held?
Subject to few exceptions, school districts statewide are required by law to hold an annual budget vote and Board of Education Election on the third Tuesday in May.
Who is eligible to vote?
You may vote if you:
- are at least 18 years old;
- are a U.S. Citizen;
- have been a resident of the Greater Johnstown School District for the past 30 days; and
- are a registered voter (check here to see if you are currently registered to vote in the GJSD).
How do I register to vote?
Residents may register to vote at the office of the Fulton County Board of Elections (or the Montgomery County Board of Elections if you live in the Town of Palatine), or online through the NYS Board of Elections (it may take up to six weeks for your online application to be processed by NYS). The Board of Education also adopts a resolution designating a specific day and time for voter registration at school for persons not registered with the county.
Where do I vote?
The school budget vote and board election takes place annually on the third Tuesday in May. In-person voting takes place in the Johnstown Junior-Senior High School Auditorium Lobby from 11:00 am. to 8:00 p.m.
How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
Voters registered as permanently disabled with the county board of elections will automatically receive an absentee ballot. Any other qualified voter wishing to vote by absentee ballot must submit an application to the district clerk’s office. Applications are available on our forms page. If you are unable to print the application, you may call 518-762-4611 ext. 3119 and ask for an application to be mailed to you.
Qualifications to vote by absentee ballot:
- Absence from county on election day
- Temporary or permanent illness or disability (per NYS law, for the period 01/01/22 – 01/01/23, temporary illness includes being unable to appear due to risk of contracting or spreading a communicable disease like COVID-19)
- Duties related to primary care giver of one or more individuals who are ill or physically disabled
- Resident or patient of a Veterans Health Administration Hospital.
- Detention in jail/prison, awaiting trial, awaiting action by a grand jury, or in prison for conviction of a crime or offense which was not a felony
Completed applications must be received in the district clerk’s office at least seven days before the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the vote if the ballot will be picked up in person.
When are absentee ballots due?
If you are provided with an official absentee ballot, it must be received in the office of the District Clerk not later than 5 p.m. on the day of the election, in an envelope that bears a signed “Statement of Absentee Voter,” in order to be counted by the election inspectors.
Absentee Ballots and Voter Privacy
Have you wondered how absentee ballots are counted and how voter anonymity is maintained? We explain the process here: https://www.johnstownschools.org/absentee-ballots-and-voter-privacy/