The past two years have been rough for the Elmira Heights school district. Like many schools, they've been forced to cut programs and positions in order to balance the budget. Well, budget season is here again. Our Bill Mich sat down with the superintendent to get a sense of what lies ahead.

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ELMIRA HEIGHTS, N.Y. -- For many districts across the state, one of the biggest challenges in constructing a budget this year will be working around one of the governor's new laws.

"Tax cap and two percent do not go in the same sentence. It's a very complex formula. It is a very multiple step formula and really the tax cap will be different for every school district," said Elmira Heights Superintendent Mary Beth Fiore.

The cap for the Elmira Heights School District and how much it can raise taxes will be vitally important after two straight years of cutting jobs and trimming budgets for programs like band and athletics. Cutting any more would be a tough pill to swallow for the district.

"You're talking about dismantling the schools as they exist now. You're looking at really only offering those things that are mandated in the line of course work," Fiore said.

Last year, the budget came in at just under $19 million for the district. School officials say it is too early in the process to begin to project what this year's total may be but the exploration is underway to see how extra money can be saved. One option is shared services that could help right now and for years to come.

"Short term and long term. I think we are exploring many things, even not through the BOCES but even between districts," said Fiore.

There were no specifics on what those services may be but at this point for Elmira Heights and other surrounding school districts, just about anything could help.