As the results from Tuesday’s elections were revealed, Clymer, Ripley, Westfield and Gowanda school districts were without a budget.

All four communities failed to support the respective school’s 2018-19 proposed budgets. Each district will present a new budget in June and a vote will be held on June 19.

In Clymer, the proposed budget of $11,561,554 asked for a 13 percent tax levy increase, 9 percent above the state allowed 4 percent tax cap which required a super majority or a 60 percent approval from district voters. While Clymer did earn more votes in favor of the budget, 238 in favor and 237 against, it was not enough for a super majority. While asking for 13 percent tax increase, the budget only increased 2 percent.

Clymer is holding a budget work session with board members on May 30, where Superintendent Ed Bailey said the board will “get on the same page.” It was Bailey’s understanding prior to the vote, that if the budget failed the new proposal would meeting the 4 percent tax cap. The board will then present a new budget on June 11.

“I assume that’s what we’ll do,” Bailey said of now meeting the 4 percent tax cap.

We’ll take a look at, again, at every area we’re comfortable cutting.”

If the potential cuts do not bring the tax levy equal or under the tax cap, money will be taken from the fund balance to supplement the budget, a move Bailey said will deplete the fund balance going into the next year when he foresees the potential tax levy increase proposal to be even higher than 13 percent.

“I don’t see how we can’t be (over the 2019-20 tax cap),” Bailey said of the following year’s tax levy.

Bailey said if the first budget would have been passed, the district wouldn’t have to dip into the fund balance and would’ve given the district a “chance down the road.”

“This time our backs will be against the wall,” he said of future budgets.

Bailey previously said the 13 percent increase was largely due to two consecutive years of having a flat tax levy and a $500,000 state aid take back implemented last year from a 2008 capital project. As for why the budget failed, he pointed toward the last year’s failed merger study with the Panama School District that was heavily voted down by Clymer residents with 654 against and 186 in favor.

“The merger really divided taxpayers and put us in a difficult situation, financially,” he said.

The district did, however, approve vehicle purchases not to exceed $85,000 with 250 voting in favor and 220 voting against.

The Ripley Central School District featured a 2018-19 proposed budget of $9.2 million and was denied by voters with 91 voting against and 90 voting in favor. Voters also denied the creation of a capital improvements reserve fund not to exceed $500,000.

The Westfield Academy and Central School proposed a 2018-19 school budget of $16.7 million. Voters disapproved with 295 voting against and 196 voting in favor. The Westfield proposed budget was an increase of $834,384 or 5.25 percent with a 2 percent tax levy increase. According to the district’s budget presentation, a house assessed at $100,000 would’ve seen an increase of $50 yearly or 96 cents a week.

The Gowanda Central School District denied its 2018-19 school budget of $31.4 million with 442 ‘no’ votes and 391 ‘yes’ votes. Voters denied a $31 million capital project voting 442 against and 391 in favor. District residents did, however, approve three school bus purchases with 556 voting in favor and 274 voting against. The budget featured a 4.73 percent increase from the previous year and a 1.73 percent increase to the tax levy.