All 12 of Allegany County’s school districts are prepared for budget votes on Tuesday.

Total expenditures across the county compared to the 2025-26 budget year range from a 4.88% decrease at Bolivar-Richburg Central School District to a 9.03% increase at Wellsville. Property tax levy changes range from a 0.5% drop in Wellsville and steady at Whitesville to a 10.17% increase at Cuba-Rushford.

Scio Central School District is the only in the county proposing a budget with a tax increase higher than the cap. Under state law, school districts may override the tax cap if the budget vote receives at least 60% of the vote on election day. Statewide, 40 districts — about 6% — are seeking to override the tax cap, tied with the all-time high set last year.

Under state law, local taxing bodies have had property tax levy increases capped, with the base allowable increase at 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. Other figures are used in the calculations, such as leftover tax cap room from the previous year and certain spending exemptions. Six Allegany County districts are proposing tax levy increases that do not use the full amount of the allowable increase under the state’s property tax cap law, and five are using the full amount under the tax cap.

Budget data was compiled from New York State Property Tax Report Card data collected by the state Department of Education, while information on propositions and school board candidates was compiled from district websites and newsletters.

Alfred-Almond

• Total proposed spending: $17.52 million, down 1.63%
• Proposed tax levy: $5.41 million, up 1%
• Tax Cap: $30,880 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: Purchase of two buses not to exceed $380,000
• School board: Jason Burdick and Mark Bloxom are seeking one 5-year term
• Enrollment: 474, down 2.87%

Andover

• Total proposed spending: $12.5 million, up 8.7%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.82 million, up 2%
• Tax Cap: $42,398 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: Use of $145,000 in reserve funds to purchase a bus; Use of $75,000 in reserve funds to purchase a passenger vehicle; Establish a 2026 Bus Purchase Reserve Fund; increase support for Andover Free Library from $25,000 to $60,000
• School board: Tashina Seaman and Mary Nevol are seeking one 3-year term; Jessica Hutchison is seeking one 3-year term
• Enrollment: 254, down 7.64%

Belfast

• Total proposed spending: $12.76 million, up 1.18%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.33 million, up 3.2%
• Tax Cap: At cap, no override
• Other proposals: Provide $96,629 to the Belfast Public Library; Rosanna Wilson is seeking a 5-year term on the library board.
• School board: Mark Smithers is seeking a one-year term; Randa Harrington is seeking a 5-year term.
• Enrollment: 333, up 0.6%

Bolivar-Richburg

• Total proposed spending: $25.38 million, down 4.88%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.96 million, up 2.95%
• Tax Cap: At cap, no override
• Other proposals: Providing an additional $1,983 to the Bolivar Free Library; providing an additional $5,706.90 to the Richburg Colonial Library; providing an additional $7,624 to the Genesee Library; purchase of a school bus not to exceed $543,110; purchase of a van using $43,802 in reserve funds.
• School board: Donielle Champlin and Aaron Duell are seeking two 3-year terms.
• Enrollment: 652, up 5.84%

Canaseraga

• Total proposed spending: $9.47 million, up 5.71%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.55 million, up 3.17%
• Tax Cap: At cap, no override
• Other proposals: The creation of a $5 million capital reserve fund; providing an additional $1,500 for the Essential Club Free Library
• School board: Frances Hoffman is running for a 5-year term
• Enrollment: 215, steady

Cuba-Rushford

• Total proposed spending: $26.94 million, down 0.57%
• Proposed tax levy: $7.41 million, up 10.17%
• Tax Cap: At cap, no override
• Other proposals: The purchase of two buses and one van up to $466,744; $302,884 in support for the Cuba Circulating Library; $90,558 in support for the Rushford Free Library
• School board: Joe Haskins is seeking a 5-year term
• Enrollment: 714, down 1.65%

Fillmore

• Total proposed spending: $22.49 million, up 8.97%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.73 million, up 1.8%
• Tax Cap: $48,661 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: Purchase of school buses; funding for the Wide Awake Club Library
• School board: One board seat is available
• Enrollment: 549, up 1.67%

Friendship

• Total proposed spending: 11.85 million, up 4.22%
• Proposed tax levy: $1.91 million, up 1.03%
• Tax Cap: At cap, no override
• Other proposals: The purchase of a school bus at $220,000; to name the Special Education/504 Office in honor of Sandra Golden; to name the gymnasium in honor of Dennis Amore
• School board: 3-year and 5-year terms
• Enrollment: 284, up 0.35%

Genesee Valley

• Total proposed spending: $22 million, up 6.45%
• Proposed tax levy: $3.34 million, up 1.26%
• Tax Cap: $95,188 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: $190,000 to purchase a school bus; provide $58,000 for the Angelica Free Library and $68,269 to the Belmont Free Library.
• School board: Three 5-year terms
• Enrollment: 600, steady

Scio

• Total proposed spending: $13.01 million, up 3.43%
• Proposed tax levy: $2.39 million, up 2.9%
• Tax Cap: $49,222 over cap, override needed
• Other proposals: Purchase school bus for $191,500; Increase aid to Scio Memorial Library by $3,589
• School board: One 5-year seat available
• Enrollment: 270, down 1.46%

Wellsville

• Total proposed spending: $40.8 million, up 9.03%
• Proposed tax levy: $8.02 million, down 0.5%
• Tax Cap: $270,980 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: Purchase three buses for $607,000; provide an additional $13,847 for the David A Howe Public Library
• School board: Heather Gill and Michael Chaffee are seeking two 3-year terms
• Enrollment: 1,166, up 0.34%

Whitesville

• Total proposed spending: $6.62 million, up 1.24%
• Proposed tax levy: $868,991, steady
• Tax Cap: $36,284 under cap, no override
• Other proposals: Collect $67,307.34 to support the Whitesville Public Library; Susan Beckhorn, Gay Thistle, and Marsha Van Vlack are seeking three library board seats
• School board: Tammy Ellison is seeking one of two 3-year terms.
• Enrollment: 60, down 50%