New Yorkers overwhelmingly approve ballot propositions on school, sewer debt

Was it even a question?

New York voters overwhelmingly answered “yes” to two ballot questions related to debt limits on small city schools and sewer-related spending by municipalities.

Proposition one, which eliminates the 5% cap on the amount of debt small city school districts are able to issue, was approved with nearly 1 million votes with 71% of votes counted.

The second prop, which renews a decades-long practice of excluding funds for sewer projects from contributing to a municipality’s debt cap, also passed by a large margin with nearly 70% of the statewide vote.

Neither proposition was met with any significant opposition heading into Election Day. Both sailed through the state legislature with unanimous or near-unanimous support.

Advocates pushing Prop One, like the NYS Association of Small City School Districts and the Alliance for Quality Education, argued the current cap of 5% is antiquated and makes it difficult for dozens of districts to make critical improvements to buildings and other infrastructure.

Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed bipartisan legislation that now automatically implements a 10% debt cap for the small city school districts, bringing them in line with their suburban and rural counterparts.

This is the seventh time New Yorkers have approved Proposition Two, which will remain in effect for another 10 years.

Election night results include ballots cast on election day, early votes and absentee ballots received at county boards of elections prior to election day.