Schenectady budget proposal includes 39 new positions | The Daily Gazette SECTIONS The Schenectady school board Wednesday night approved a nearly $219 million budget proposal with no tax levy increase that will go up for voter approval May 18. The proposal is bolstered by a $14 million spending increase over the current budget, about 7 percent, and includes 39 new staff positions. About $8 million of the budget would fund year-to-year increase in salaries, benefits and other rising costs. The new positions include: 6 elementary classroom teachers, who will be deployed to classes with a large number of students; 12 staff to create an 8-period school day at the middle school, increasing scheduling flexibility for students and enabling a special homeroom-like class to support students;