Elmira School District Facing Budget Crisis

The Elmira City School district is on the brink of another budget crisis for the upcoming year. The proposed 2013-2014 budget was presented to the school board on Wednesday night, and the superintendent outlined several options for addressing the current $6.1 million deficit. One of the options was a tax hike, which would cause the deficit to drop to $5.5 million if they stuck to a 2 percent tax cap. Cuts to services are also a part of the plan. The superintendant says that the cost of health insurance and pensions are outpacing the school’s ability to bring in new revenue, and they also are outpacing any increases in state aid.