The proposed 2017 budget for New Scotland awaits discussion in three public sessions before being adopted. 

The tax rate will decrease from $4.65 percent per $1,000 of assessed valuation to $4.50,  making the effective tax rate 3 percent lower than it was in 2016.

Facing a much smaller budget gap for 2015-16, most Guilderland School Board members want to beef up the fund balance they have dipped into recently to keep taxes under the state-set cap.