CRARYVILLE–When voters of the Taconic Hills Central School District go to the polls for the annual budget referendum and to elect of members of the Board of Education Tuesday May 21, they will have to write in the names of candidates they wish to vote for. There are three open seats to be decided next week, but no candidates’ names will appear on the ballot.

Those wishing to run for a seat on the board were required to submit a nominating petition with the signatures of at least 25 qualified district voters. No candidates met the criteria before the deadline.

Two of the seats are for terms of five years, and are open due to the expiring terms of board member Donald McComb and board President Kevin Maisenbacher. The third seat is vacant because of the resignation of Steve Argus. There are three years remaining on that term.

Voters will be shown how and where to write in a candidate’s name when they arrive to vote on Tuesday. The election will be held from noon to 9 p.m. in the Veterans’ Community Room.

The district’s proposed budget for the 2013-14 school year will also go before voters for approval that day. The $35,184,561 budget includes a tax levy increase of 1.98%, less than half of the district’s tax cap for this year of 4.21%. The tax levy will fund $22,480,000 of the $35M budget.

Additionally, voters will see two other propositions on the ballot. One is a proposal for approval to purchase a small vehicle or van at a cost not to exceed $46,352.70. The district would use $18,000 from the general fund and $28,352.70 from a bus reserve account.

The other proposition is to allow a high school student to serve on the board as a non-voting student representative.