Budget Archives

2023-24 School Budget

Greater Amsterdam School District residents voted 576-196 on May 16, 2023 to approve a $91.4 million district budget for the 2023-24 school year. The approved budget totals $91,421,980 and represents an increase of 6.26 percent or $5,386,887 over the current year budget. The budget, however, calls for no tax levy increase in 2023-24.

School district residents, by a vote of 561-208, also approved a proposition authorizing the establishing a Technology Capital Reserve Fund not to exceed $5 million for the acquisition and installation of new technology equipment and technology infrastructure improvements within the school district.

Three members were also elected to new terms on the GASD Board of Education out of five candidates on the ballot. The winners were Dr. Nellie Bush, Rev. Kent McHeard and Wendy Swezey. The election vote totals were as follows:

Dr. Nellie Bush (558)
Rev. Kent McHeard (553)
Wendy Swezey (396)
Jenn Berry-Youngs (268)
Nydia Hill (255)

2023-24 Budget Documents

2022-23 School Budget

Greater Amsterdam School District residents voted 341-132 on May 17, 2022 to approve a $86,035,093 district budget for the 2022-23 school year. The approved budget calls for no increase in the district tax levy and represents an increase in spending of 8.48 percent or $6,724,474 over the current year spending plan.

School district residents by a vote of 331-138 also approved the borrowing of $9.5 million towards a three-phase overall $19.5 million capital project improvement proposition. This will have no local share tax impact. The remainder of the $10 million cost will be paid for through federal COVID-19 recovery funding and district reserves.

Three members were also elected to new terms on the GASD Board of Education by the following votes:

JoMarie DiTata (344)
Lara Kulpa (300)
Wendy Swezey (263)

2022-23 Budget Documents

2021-22 School Budget

Greater Amsterdam School District residents voted 322-129 (71%) on May 18, 2021 to approve a $79,310,619 proposed budget for the 2021-22 school year which included no increase in the district tax levy while maintaining the same level of educational programming. The approved spending plan totaled $79,310,619 and represented an increase of 4.47 percent or $3,391,701 over the 2020-21 school year budget. The budget also called for no tax levy increase in 2021-22.

Residents also voted 344-109 (76%) to approve a proposition establishing a Capital Reserve Fund with the ultimate amount of such fund to be $5 million for future capital project expenditures. This fund would allow the district to set aside money over a time period not to exceed 10 years, much like a savings account, from the district’s current unreserved fund balance (funds remaining at the end of the budget cycles). The district has earmarked some of these funds to improve indoor air quality & ventilation systems in schools, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, filtering systems, amongst a list of other upgrades, improvements & reconstruction work needed.
As part of the budget passage, residents also voted to allocate $135,000 in capital improvement funds to make security upgrades to McNulty Academy.
Voters reelected incumbents Gavin Murdoch (365 votes) and Curtis Peninger (314 votes) to the Board of Education. Both men ran unopposed for new seats each carrying new three-year term beginning July 1, 2021.

2021-22 School Budget

2020-21 School Budget

Total budget: $75,918,919
Passed by voters: 2,023-842
Spending Reduction: 1.66 percent or $1,283,768
Tax levy increase: 3.0 percent or $626,255
Approve of purchase of two school buses and security cameras
Established personal registration of voters for school district elections at the District Office
2020-21 Revenue Budget
2020-21 Expenditure Budget

GASD residents approved a $75,918,919 district budget for the 2020-21 school year by a vote of 2,023-842. Three other propositions also passed. The vote was held June 9, 2020 by absentee ballot ONLY due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three candidates, Dr. Nellie Bush, Rev. Kent McHeard and Deana Mancini (all incumbents) were also re-elected to new three-year terms on the GASD Board of Education beginning on July 1, 2020. The final vote was as follows:

Dr. Nellie Bush – 1,984 votes (Elected)
Rev. Kent McHeard – 1,730 votes (Elected)
Deana Mancini – 1,554 votes (Elected)
James P. Walrath – 961 votes (Not elected)
Thomas J. Coughlin, Jr. – 873 votes (Not elected)

District voters also approved three other propositions that appeared on the June, 2020 ballot.

Proposition No. 2 sought voter approval allowing for the purchase of two school buses and security cameras at an estimated cost of $225,000, with 90 percent of the cost eligible for state aid reimbursement. The bus proposition passed by a vote of 1,964-887.

Proposition No. 3 asked voters to enable personal registration of voters for school district elections and votes to occur on any school business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the District Clerk’s office and during any registration dates designed by the school board prior to the annual election and vote or any special vote, effective July 1, 2020. No person, however, would be permitted to register to vote in a school district election or vote less than five days preceding each election or vote. The personal registration proposition passed by a vote of 2,176-640.

Proposition No. 4 asked voters to approve the authorization of the GASD to levy taxes in the amount of $240,000 to support the Amsterdam Free Library for library services during the 2020-21 fiscal year and each year thereafter. The library proposition passed by a vote of 1,773-1,063.

2019-20 School Budget

Total budget: $77,202,687
Spending increase: 5.87 percent
Tax levy increase: 0 percent

2017-18 School Budget

Total budget: $69,511,563
Spending increase: 1.05 percent
Tax levy increase: 0 percent
Creation of a $1,000,045 repair reserve, a fund that would be used for one-time capital improvements or equipment not covered under state or federal aid.

2016-17 School Budget