The Bedford Central School District board voted unanimously last Wednesday to place a second proposition on the ballot for the 2004-2005 district budget.

The proposition, to be voted on May 18, will ask district taxpayers to allow part of the district's fund balance to be spent on long-standing projects. These projects would include the purchase of school furniture, new windows, floors and door replacements at all schools, and the installation of artificial turf for three fields on the Fox Lane campus. According to school board president Elfin Sullivan, the excess fund balance resulted in unexpended appropriations including monies for employee health claims, civil service retirement fees, special education tuition and school bus transportation during the 2003-04 school year.

"The state only allows you to keep two percent of the annual budget for the fund balance," she said. "Since we have additional funds, we are choosing to give back to the taxpayers."

This fiscal year. the board estimates that the district will have additional funds by June 30 and Proposition 2 will seek the voter's permission to spend it on various projects.

"It's tremendous that we are in the unusual position of having excess funds we can apply to get these jobs done without an additional tax levy or bond," said Ms. Sullivan.

From the fund balance, $1.76 million will be used for capital projects. Additional funds of $120,000 from donations and $44,000 from the

State Rescue II Aid fund will be added to the proposition, totaling $1.96 million.

According to the district's assistant superintendent for business, Mark Betz, the State Rescue II Aid fund is a state fund set aside to upgrade schools for safety or health improvements.

"The first State Rescue Aid fund we received was for about $186,000," Mr. Betz said. "I think we spent it on a septic system at one of schools."

If the proposition is approved, the district will file a request for the funds from the state.

At last Wednesday's board meeting, board member Mel Comberiati said he was familiar with the planned projects to be funded by Proposition 2.

"These projects have been on our lists for a long time," he said. "This [proposition] enables us to bring these projects to completion in a way that will not require additional new taxes. We've never been able to do this."