A public hearing to discuss the Mount Markham Central School District’s proposed 2008-09 budget is scheduled for 7 p.m., May 13, in the high school auditorium.  
In addition to answering budget-related questions, the meeting will give district residents an opportunity to meet candidates running for two available seats on the board of education.  Those candidates are Mike Bailey, currently the board’s vice president, and incumbent board member John Cornmire.  Each seat carries a three-year term.
The proposed $21.8 million budget carries a tax levy increase of 2.43 percent, or about $5.5 million.  The specific impact on an individual property owner would be based on his or her property assessment within his or her particular town.  Assessments vary within each of the district’s 11 towns.
The proposed budget’s impact on district taxpayers has been offset, in part, by about $15.6 million in state aid and $308,612 from the district fund balance, which exists specifically to reduce the burden on taxpayers. 
The proposed plan continues the school board’s focus on improving literacy and math education in the district and the integration of technology into classroom learning, all of which are geared toward helping graduates compete successfully in a global workforce.
The budget will go before district voters on Tuesday, May 20.  The vote is scheduled from 1 to 8 p.m. in the elementary school cafeteria.  Prior to that, residents will receive by mail the district’s spring issue of the Panorama newsletter, which explains the budget proposal in greater detail.
The district’s proposed budget is about 5.56 percent higher than the current school year budget, reflecting a general increase in the cost of living.  Expense areas with the largest increases include staff salaries and benefits; plant operations, including energy-related costs; principal and interest payments on past and upcoming capital improvement projects; computer-assisted instruction; and BOCES administrative costs.
The proposed budget also includes $409,124 for the purchase of five new buses/transportation vehicles. The district’s actual share of the purchase will be reduced to about $40,913, however, because the state reimburses the district for about 90 percent of the cost of each new bus.  The planned purchase marks a continuation of the district’s commitment to the bus replacement schedule begun six years ago to improve fleet safety and reduce high maintenance costs. 
A copy of the proposed budget is available for review in the district’s main office.  Questions or comments about the budget may be directed to that office or to board of education members by calling 822-6161 or visiting the district Web site at www.mmcsd.org.