Taxpayers in the Tioga Central School District approved the district’s second budget yesterday. The district said 1,573 people in total voted with 57 valid absentee votes. The budget passed with a super-majority, 1,076 voting yes and 441 voting no. The district’s original budget did not get the super-majority required to break the tax cap on May 19. So, the school board opted to adopt a new budget that included a 17 percent tax levy increase and a personal donation from Tioga Downs owner Jeff Gural, offering to donate nearly $300,000 for the next two school years. The donation, combined with the lower tax levy hike, garnered enough support from voters. The budget will partially replenish some of the reserve funds, without cutting programs, athletics, or laying off teachers. The budget approval means the school board will not have to move to a contingency budget that would require more than $900,000 worth of cuts.
