On behalf of the students, faculty, staff, administration and the Board of Education of the Eldred Central School District, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the voters and taxpayers of the district for approving our budget for the 2012-2013 school year. Last year, the community sent a very clear message concerning the district and the budget. The community wanted a change in direction, and the board delivered on that request. The board directed administration to cut expenses while preserving student programming. Over $600,000 dollars was cut from the budget proposal. The community rewarded these efforts by passing the budget by one of the largest margins in recent memory. For this we are grateful.

We would also like to thank Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther for securing an additional $200,000 in state aid for the district. This money permitted us to restore essential support services that otherwise were going to be cut from the budget.

There is still more work to be done. With the 2% Property Tax Cap legislation, the district will be faced with many tough decisions in developing future budgets. The board of education accepts the challenges that lie ahead and is confident that the district is up to the task of delivering a quality education to our students while remaining fiscally responsible. The board of education believes that by working together for the common good we can accomplish these goals.

Robert M. Dufour, Superintendent of Schools

Eldred Central School District

Eldred, NY