ALBANY, NY — New York voters approved two state propositions, including special debt limits for small city school districts and an amendment on contracted sewage facilities debt, according to unofficial results from the state’s Board of Elections.
Proposition One concerning special debt limits for small city school districts, was approved by the state’s voters by 1,382,381 votes or 57 percent to 766,327 votes or 31 percent. In Nassau, the measure was approved by 116,177 votes or 58 percent to 81,422 votes or 33 percent. Suffolk’s voters approved the measure 154,344 votes or 54 percent to 104,352 votes or 37 percent.
Proposition Two concerns an amendment proposing section 5 of article 8 of the constitution relating to the exclusion of indebtedness contracted for sewage facilities was approved by the state’s voters 1,459,967 or 59 percent to 685,233 votes or 28 percent.
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In Nassau, voters approved the measure was approved by 127,287 votes or 52 percent to 69,049 or 28 percent. In Suffolk, voters approved the measure by 161,689 or 57 percent to 97,553 or 35 percent.
Under Proposition One, debt limits would be established in state law for all school districts.
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A small city school district, which includes at least part of a small city with less than 125,000 people. The state’s constitution limits the debt a small city school district can incur to no more than five percent of the value of taxable real estate in the district.
There are exceptions for certain expenses though.
Other school districts are not subject to a constitutional debt restriction, but have a different debt limit provided under state law, which stipulates that their debts cannot be greater than 10 percent of the value of taxable real property.
With the constitutional amendment approved, small city school districts would be eligible to have the same debt limit as other school districts enacted by legislative action.
Under Proposition Two, indebtedness would include projects contracted on or after Jan. 1, 1962 and before Jan. 1, 2024, for the construction or reconstruction of facilities for the conveyance, treatment, and disposal of sewage.
The legislature would then prescribe the method by which and the terms and conditions the amount of any indebtedness would be excluded, and no such indebtedness would be excluded except in accordance with a determination.
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