NEW BERLIN – The Unadilla Valley School Board of Education met on Monday to discuss it's proposed $848,549 budget increase from the prior year.

The hearing held in the school’s library was attended by the school board and two members of the public. The board hopes to increase the budget by $848,549 or 4.39 percent, and a vote on the budget will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on May 15 in the school district lobby.

To raise funds, the school is looking to raise $63,761 in local property taxes, an increase of 1.5 percent. According to Unadilla Valley's Business Official Michael Brown, on a $100,000 property the levy would increase that homeowner's taxes by $21.

"It's based on 21 cents per thousand, so the total increase would be $21 dollars," said Brown.

If the school's budget increase is passed, it would total approximately $20.2 million dollars.

According to Unadilla Valley Superintendent Robert Mackey, "The bulk of the budget increase would be spent to help accommodate special needs students."