Voters approve 2019-20 budget and bus proposition; Backus, Jansson and Tully elected to the Board

Niskayuna Central School District voters on Tuesday, May 21, approved the 2019-20 school budget, with 2,037 casting votes in favor of the $87.5 million spending plan and 683 opposed.

Voters also approved the bus purchase proposition by a vote of 2,078 to 642.

In the Board of Education election, Brian Backus was re-elected and Greta Jansson and Kimberly Tully were elected to first terms. Complete results for the school board election are below.

The results, announced at Niskayuna High School shortly after polls closed, showed 75 percent of 2,720 voters supported the budget.

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to vote today,” said Superintendent Cosimo Tangorra, Jr. “We are focused on moving the district forward in partnership with all stakeholders and appreciate today’s show of support. Guided by our strategic plan, we will keep working to deliver a high-quality academic program and strong student support in a fiscally responsible manner.”

The budget calls for a tax levy increase of 2.35 percent, which is below the district’s limit based on the state tax-cap formula. The budget continues all current student programs and contains additions to increase student support, manage class sizes and address priority areas of operations such as technology and buildings and grounds.

Board of Education Results

There were five candidates for the three seats on the Board of Education up for election this year. Here are the complete vote totals:

Greta Jansson –1,844

Kimberly Tully – 1,616

Brian Backus – 1,448

Patricia Lanotte – 1,251

Jonathan Vaillancourt – 698

The three-year terms that Backus, Jansson and Tully were elected to on Tuesday will begin on July 1 this year and go through June 30, 2022.