Wayne County voters will head to the polls Tuesday to decide the future of school spending across nine districts, with most proposals staying within New York’s tax cap while districts grapple with rising health insurance costs, inflation, staffing pressures and uncertain state and federal aid.
Several districts are proposing modest tax levy increases to preserve programs and avoid deeper cuts. Others are leaning heavily on reserves, reducing staffing through attrition, or restructuring operations to close budget gaps. Across the county, administrators repeatedly pointed to the same challenge: expenses are rising faster than revenues.
The votes will take place May 19 at polling locations designated by each district. In addition to budget proposals, voters in many districts will weigh bus purchases, library funding requests and school board races.
Clyde-Savannah
Clyde-Savannah is proposing a $32.8 million budget for 2026-27 that district leaders say preserves all current programs and services while keeping the tax levy increase below the allowable cap. The proposed levy increase is 2%, even though the district could have increased it by 3.76%.
District officials said the budget was shaped by rising costs for materials, energy and contracts, paired with only a 1% increase in Foundation Aid from the state. Superintendent Michael Hayden and the Board of Education framed the spending plan as a “common-sense budget” focused on long-term stability and student support.
Voters will also decide on an $850,000 transportation proposition for the purchase of three 66-passenger buses and two 30-passenger buses using reserve funds.
The district continues to emphasize its Community Schools model, which has expanded support services, afterschool programs, mental health resources and enrichment opportunities throughout the district.
Gananda
Gananda is proposing a $29.2 million budget that includes a 2.8% tax levy increase while maintaining athletics, electives and all 19 college-level courses currently offered.
District leaders said healthcare costs, utility expenses and general inflation were among the largest financial pressures during this year’s budget process. To balance the budget, Gananda reduced 1.5 administrative positions, five instructional positions and several BOCES service lines. The district said those reductions were achieved without increasing class sizes or eliminating core academic offerings.
The budget also shifts from a liaison officer arrangement with the Town of Macedon to a full-time school resource officer through the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Gananda officials said the move is intended to improve school safety and districtwide coverage.
The district highlighted continued investment in advanced coursework, Project Lead The Way programming, biomedical and computer science offerings, and BOCES partnerships with neighboring districts.
Lyons
Lyons Central School District is proposing a tax levy increase of 1.7% for the 2026-27 school year, continuing a trend of relatively flat increases over the last decade.
District materials focused heavily on balancing costs associated with BOCES services, special education, facilities and technology expenditures. The proposed levy would raise approximately $5.6 million through local taxes.
While the district’s budget presentation emphasized operational and facilities planning more than broader messaging about district conditions, the materials reflected the same regional pressures facing other Wayne County districts, including inflation and mandated service costs.
Marion
Marion is proposing one of the larger percentage budget increases in Wayne County this year, with spending rising 5.34% to nearly $24.8 million. District leaders attributed much of that growth to escalating healthcare and Medicare-related costs.
Superintendent Ellen Lloyd said active employee healthcare costs are increasing 14.5%, while Medicare-related expenses for retirees over age 65 are projected to rise 40% next year. At the same time, the district is receiving only a 1% increase in Foundation Aid.
To balance the budget, Marion is using more than $1 million in reserves and fund balance, implementing a $261,000 staffing reduction through attrition, and removing a proposed school resource officer position from the budget.
Even with those measures, district officials stressed they are maintaining academic, athletic and extracurricular opportunities. Marion leaders repeatedly pointed to strong student performance metrics, including top-ranked Wayne County test scores and a 90% graduation rate.
The proposed tax levy increase is 2.48%, which remains within the state tax cap.
North Rose-Wolcott
North Rose-Wolcott is proposing a $39.08 million budget amid one of the more difficult financial environments described by any district in Wayne County.
District officials cited the loss of federal grant funding, minimal Foundation Aid growth and rising operational costs as the main drivers behind significant spending pressures. Superintendent Michael Pullen said the district plans to reduce up to 10 positions across administrative, instructional and support staff categories, with some reductions happening through retirements and attrition.
The district said it worked to protect classroom programming while making cuts in administration and community services.
Voters will also consider a transportation proposition authorizing the purchase of five buses through the district’s capital reserve fund at a cost of up to $925,000. A separate proposition would increase annual library appropriations by $27,000 to a total of $286,100 split between the Wolcott Public Library and Rose Free Library.
Two school board seats are also on the ballot, including one full five-year term and one seat to complete an unexpired term.
Palmyra-Macedon
Palmyra-Macedon is proposing a $54.64 million budget, a 3.69% increase from the current year. The proposed tax levy would rise 4.24%, though district documents note the levy remains within the allowable tax cap limit.
The district projects increased spending in instructional programming, transportation and capital costs. Employee benefits also continue climbing, reflecting healthcare and retirement pressures facing districts statewide.
Pal-Mac’s budget documents emphasize maintaining instructional programs while continuing investments in facilities and operations. Voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Palmyra-Macedon High School.
Red Creek
Red Creek is proposing a $27.9 million budget that would increase spending by 11.4% year-over-year, driven largely by a major increase in projected state aid.
The district’s proposed tax levy increase is 3.2%, while projected state aid is expected to jump more than 15%, from $18.1 million to $20.8 million.
District officials said the budget includes a $100,000 transfer for a capital outlay project focused on stage refurbishment, sound systems and scoreboards. Voters will also decide on a $420,000 transportation proposition for one large bus and three smaller vehicles funded through the district’s bus reserve.
Two school board seats are up for election, with incumbents Elizabeth Decker and Stephanie Folds facing challenger Charles Palermo.
Wayne Central
Wayne Central’s budget materials outline a broad operational and capital spending plan ahead of Tuesday’s vote, though the district’s public budget notebook focused heavily on detailed expenditure reporting and state-required disclosures.
The district is continuing substantial investment in instructional programming, facilities operations, debt service and employee benefits as part of its overall spending plan. Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.
The district’s budget reflects continued emphasis on long-term operational planning and compliance with state financial reporting requirements.
Williamson
Williamson is proposing a $30.16 million budget that would increase spending by 3.56% and raise the tax levy by 2.55%, remaining within the state tax cap.
District leaders described the budget process as challenging due to inflation, healthcare increases and evolving state mandates, but said they remained focused on maintaining program quality and long-term fiscal stability.
Williamson’s budget includes continued investments in literacy, math, career and technical education and student support systems. The district is also continuing a long-range capital strategy through a $100,000 mini-capital project focused on door and hardware replacements at the high school, which officials say will generate significant state building aid reimbursement.
One unusual wrinkle in Williamson this year: there are no candidates officially on the ballot for available Board of Education seats, meaning the positions will likely be decided through write-in votes or future board appointments if vacancies remain.
Across Wayne County, the common thread in nearly every proposal is clear: Districts are trying to preserve student programming while navigating mounting financial pressure. Whether through reserve spending, staffing reductions or carefully managed tax increases, school leaders are warning that the gap between rising costs and available revenue is becoming harder to close each year.
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