OBSERVER file photo Outgoing school board member Brian Aldrich said voters may be unhappy after the exorbitant village tax increase.

Voters in Fredonia have had enough. Just like two of the three capital project proposals this past winter, the 2025-26 school budget was rejected.

The margin was narrow, as 472 voters said no, compared to 414 who said yes.

The 2025-2026 Fredonia School Budget carried a total proposed amount of $38,336,005. That figure was an increase of 5.23% from the previous budget.

In 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Fredonia School Budget increased just over 2% each year due to rising costs and salaries. Last year, that figure jumped to 8.52%. The proposed increase this year was still more than 5% higher than last year’s amount, even after the 8.52% jump.

In the end, as former President and outgoing Board member Brian Aldrich suggested, voters said no way they could. With a 65% tax increase in the village of Fredonia combined with an already approved 1.9% tax increase tied to Proposition 1 of the capital project from last winter, voters said an additional 0.69% tax increase on top of that was too much to stomach.

Moving forward, Fredonia is still evaluating its options for a potential re-vote. The district could simply hold another vote with the same budget, believing that a different outcome is possible given that the vote was 472-414. A military voter who received a ballot for the initial vote will automatically receive a ballot for the re-vote.

Fredonia also could make more cuts, believing that changing the minds of at least 30 people would be too challenging of a task without any significant adjustments. One cut that has been suggested through several board meetings was electing to not replace an outgoing staff member. The latest edition of the budget proposal already featured substantial equipment cuts.

According to the New York State Education timeline for a budget re-vote, the new budget must be completed at least seven days prior to the budget hearing where it will be presented. That timeline varies from May 27 through June 3. The first legal notice must be published by June 3, with the final legal notice published by June 10.

Fredonia was in a minority when it came to statewide results. New York voters approved 96.6% of proposed school district budgets, according to preliminary results compiled by the New York State School Boards Association.

“We congratulate school districts who saw their budgets pass and thank the public for their strong support of our public schools,” said association Executive Director Robert S. Schneider. “New York voters understand the importance of their local schools and want to see them adequately funded. School boards take seriously their duty to craft spending plans that serve students while being affordable to taxpayers. That was reflected in Tuesday’s results.”

NYSSBA gathered results for the 674 districts statewide that hold budget votes. A total of 651 school district budgets were approved by voters, while 23 were defeated, which represents a 96.6% approval rate.

Dunkirk City School District voters approved a 2025-26 budget. Voters also backed the establishment of a capital improvements reserve fund, with 155 “yes” votes to 74 “no.”

Stephen Helwig and Karen Willis were the only two candidates to run for two open Dunkirk Board of Education seats. Helwig gathered 206 votes while Willis garnered 180.

Local results include:

– Jamestown’s budget passed 322-55, while voters also approved creation of a $10 million capital reserve fund 329-45 and funding a maintenance repair reserve fund 338-28. Frank Galeazzo and Joseph Pawelski were running unopposed for the Board of Education.

– Pine Valley voters approved the school’s budget 130-43 while electing Josh Howard (118 votes), Larry Zollinger (134 votes) and Will Pekrul (102) to the school board. Brianne Russo received 81 votes for the school board.

– Chautauqua Lake voters approved the school’s budget 223-61 while electing Erin Pender and Andrea Munsee-Wellman to the school board for three-year terms and Ken Shearer Jr. to a one-year term.

– Southwestern’s $36,244,295 budget proposal was approved 217-64 while voters also approved spending $737,623.50 on three school buses by a 224-63 vote. A library referendum to raise $190,000 for the Lakewood Memorial Library and $82,000 for the Hazeltine Public Library was approved 216-70. Kenny MacDonald received 251 votes to fill a vacancy on the Board of Education.

– Panama voters approved the district’s $14,339,074 budget by a 152-34 vote while Kelly Bennett was elected to the Board of Education in a 94-90 vote over Bob Lingle.

– Clymer voters approved the 2025-26 school budget by a 196-79 vote while voters approved propositions to create a transportation reserve fund to buy school buses and similar vehicles and equipment 202-69 as well as a proposition to purchase school buses 202-67.

– Sherman voters approved the budget and a school bus purchase by identical 227-85 votes while Kathy Sweatman (229 votes) and Joe DeLellis (203 votes) were elected to the school board.

– Frewsburg Central School voters approved the budget and purchase of a school bus while electing Randy Beckstrom, Polly Hanson and Brad Swanson to the school board.

– Randolph voters approved the budget 170-28 while also passing resolutions to purchase school buses 172-31 and a library referendum 178-24. Kyle Brown, Julie Milliman and Daniel Jackson were elected to the Board of Education.

– Westfield voters approved the Westfield Academy & Central School budget 225-74.

– Cassadaga Valley voters approved the budget 145 to 54.

– Bemus Point Central School voters approved the budget 259-100 while also approving the purchase of school buses and a passenger vehicle 243-115. Lauren Ryan and Eric Martin were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education.

Budgets also were approved in Silver Creek and Forestville with both districts approving the proposition for the Anderson-Lee Library. Brocton Central Schools additionally approved its budget and a capital project.