By Dan Hust
SULLIVAN COUNTY — June 23, 2006 – “Yes” voters edged out the “nos” during Tuesday’s school budget elections in Monticello and Sullivan West, reversing the path they took when both budgets were shot down on May 16.
Monticello
In Monticello, 1,010 people approved the budget, compared to 739 who didn’t. (Results are still unofficial, but the ballots remaining to be counted are not enough to change the outcome.)
The budget had been reduced by $787,330 to $63,354,365, and the tax levy increase had gone from 9.91 percent to 5.34 percent.
Voters also approved the purchase of four 72-seat buses at a cost of $376,000. The vote was 944-792.
Sullivan West
In Sullivan West, 958 people said “yes” to the $31,912,767 budget, which had been cut by $279,500, leading to a corresponding tax levy increase of 5.5-5.8 percent, rather than the original 8.9 percent hike.
Exactly 738 voters still didn’t like the new figures. (These results are official and have been confirmed.)