Voters across New York state will go to the polls today to vote for or against their local school budgets. This is the first vote since the state imposed a cap on how much local districts can raise the tax levy.
The cap is calculated differently for each district, but the average statewide levy limit is around 2.5 percent.
School districts can raise taxes at a higher rate but they need 60 percent of the vote to do so. If the budget is voted down twice, the tax rate won't be raised at all.
In an effort to offset the limit on raising taxes, state funding to local districts is up by four percent over last year. But many school officials say they are still facing another year of budget cuts.
Syracuse residents do not vote on their school budget today. It's approved by the common council.
