[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6044043,"mediaKeyId","3623732-dd0fbf0378b88d2164374a0018413ff2","parentId",3623732,"title","Westbury proposes 2025–26 budget with second consecutive tax-levy freeze; two propositions on May 20 ballot","audioSeconds",1411,"startMs",1445000,"endMs",2856000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623732-dd0fbf0378b88d2164374a0018413ff2&start=1445&end=2856","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623732-dd0fbf0378b88d2164374a0018413ff2/thumbnail_1445000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6044043/New-York/Westbury-proposes-202526-budget-with-second-consecutive-tax-levy-freeze-two-propositions-on-May-20-ballot","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6044043-1aaeea4118663eb54825360955a4d6fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775199130&Signature=YSxqrccZVLOOJSQiMlrX1v1iWhtUhaQsnCX4qtBoag3mS4h5s0q4zP8yRbKmpF4Mq1TQfg3KcTSm7vao5sf2IXMUl1mQg6Vb6sj40Ri9PgJhrBXAHAlPLVRdLnLlx4eLmjSUPc10i7rV73WULhq54rKOwC57bttNv4c6R0dQYFO-DShn59WmG7aiaqJZU4poOvO2Q4p8Ch7WqcEYrIEGqwJZtjklCrUbP1IDz4GDysNubNh1qTwaxHGf5cd11tpCIooQOdljvLpMZuzrF-xtyaIOELS9x2DzWTe32R2BQywnFzl6fQ8LmEjoaTmMgNgoMtbj58P99TFPVYiUzwykbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-07T13:08:25Z","article","Superintendent Tahira Tapiri Chase presented the Westbury Union Free School District's proposed 2025'26 budget at a May 6 budget hearing, telling the community the plan would keep programs and staffing at current levels while continuing capital investments and holding the district's tax levy flat for a second consecutive year.

The proposal will appear on the May 20 ballot as Proposition 1; Proposition 2 asks voters to allow the district to transfer funds from its capital reserve into the capital improvement fund so previously authorized dollars can be used for construction, reconstruction and renovations. \"There will be a tax levy freeze to our community,\" Chase said during the presentation.

If voters approve Proposition 1, Chase and other administrators said, the district expects to maintain programs offered in 2024'25 and to expand some existing offerings. The presentation listed an 11.22% change versus the prior year and emphasized a 0% school-tax increase on the levy line. The hearing included a discussion of what would happen if the budget is defeated: \"If residents vote down the budget a second time, the district must adopt a contingent budget,\" Chase said, and she listed categories that a contingent budget would restrict, including community use of facilities, new equipment purchases and nonessential capital expenditures.

Administrators highlighted specific investments that are part of the proposed spending plan. Assistant administrators and department directors described curricular and program additions funded in recent years and built into next year's plan: the district's first International Baccalaureate program courses (with the first IB diploma candidates expected to graduate next year); an expanded STRIVE special-education cohort and a planned kindergarten STRIVE section; a districtwide Chromebook refresh on a three-year rotation; expanded summer offerings, including a proposed three-week Active Zone and a four-week fine and performing arts program; and a new content-creation lab for student video and audio production.

Facility projects listed in the presentation include multiple building-level renovations and equipment replacements. The slides listed a proposed plan of approximately $1,400,000 in capital projects for 2025'26, with itemized work such as high-school bathroom and septic repairs (listed at about $80,000), middle-school bathroom and lab improvements, playground replacement at Park Avenue Elementary, floor and ceiling work at Drexel, and removal of underground oil tanks at multiple sites. Rob Stein, identified during the meeting as a district facilities leader, told residents the Park Avenue playground supplier had an approximately \"8 week delivery time once everything is signed.\"

Chase and other presenters stressed that the district's capital reserve and its use are already subject to prior voter approval. The slide describing Proposition 2 said the original reserve was established in February 2019 to be funded by surplus monies and included a limit \"not to exceed $2,500,000,\" then listed a remaining total in the capital reserve of $8,300,000; administrators did not provide documentation at the hearing to reconcile those two figures.

Community members asked questions during the public portion of the hearing about enforcement of a potential statewide cell-phone ruling, the availability of vendor and contract lists, overtime budget line items, enrollment trends related to program expansions and the timing of specific capital work. On enrollment, administrators said Westbury is projecting either steady or slightly declining enrollment in coming years but that the district is prepared to respond to any unexpected increases; they also clarified that the new universal prekindergarten seats are grant-funded and not reflected in the general fund figures shown at the hearing.

Board business related to this budget was noted by the superintendent: the board adopted the presented budget at a prior meeting on April 8 to carry it forward to the public vote. This May 6 session was a budget hearing only; no votes were taken at the meeting. \"We will continue to update [the website] as per needed,\" Chase said, and the administration encouraged voters to attend and to cast ballots May 20 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. at Drexel Avenue Elementary School, Dryden Street Elementary School, Park Avenue Elementary School and Westbury Middle School.

The presentation and question-and-answer session spanned programmatic, operating and capital-budget topics; administrators invited further questions by email at budget@westburyschools.org and encouraged residents to review posted budget materials on the district website before the May 20 vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Westbury UFSD BOE Budget Hearing (May 6th, 2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent Tahira Tapiri Chase presented the Westbury Union Free School District's proposed 2025'26 budget at a May 6 budget hearing, telling the community the plan would keep programs and staffing at current levels while continuing capital investments and holding the district's tax levy flat for a second consecutive year.","taxTitle","WESTBURY UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",38342,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6044036,"Trustee says community-benefit talks with Alpine Developments are ongoing; financial contribution not finalized",287,3363000,3650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623732-dd0fbf0378b88d2164374a0018413ff2&start=3363&end=3650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623732-dd0fbf0378b88d2164374a0018413ff2/thumbnail_3363000.jpg","/articles/6044036/New-York/Trustee-says-community-benefit-talks-with-Alpine-Developments-are-ongoing-financial-contribution-not-finalized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6044036-dc6ef3be14a1e657b19341830ef5b993/orig.mp4?Expires=1775199130&Signature=PY2RV32ZFpLmY9a4QTxMQ3540nWsIYbw0VNrG28ep5e2ZlHvmu~rf5nqwyzbbIcuCv1hd~lOsMLW-29TRbWMgjYy4cn0TmS5HIx5ra7vNFPDECdXlrKjNu1RkvCmOcOukvXe7ywGvT8h34FAq4W2df1vLghKMMTiuJE1csPQi4Aq3t8q8eADzVrKynswAOk-pyLHEFaSuzira5UkFnAL8DN92865lBwqF2WMFwLDFohdx3I6~XarJryOTGyzqvApW1jn81VpgXqqEa-4uqHTioKGGCXdWN4XbQX3ut5EnHY6eSDjVSDVwkRFqYdsGRYqyDL4IkBlgz3YSXuzm1XVcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A resident raised a question at the Westbury Union Free School District's May 6 budget hearing about a developer's reported financial contribution to the district. Trustee Continier and other administrators said the village and the developer, identified in comments and the transcript as Alpine Developments, have been negotiating a community-benefit package but that no final, board‑approved contribution had been received.

\"It's called a community benefit, and that is a negotiation that happens between the village and the developer,\" Trustee Continier said. He told the audience that Alpine is proposing a 187-unit apartment development on Skelly and Union (as reported at the village hearings) and that the village's agreement with the developer is not yet finalized. \"You have two unknowns right now. One is the village has not finalized that agreement with Alpine in terms of the community benefit. And second, we haven't approved their project,\" Continier said.

Continier described the district's interest in more than a financial contribution: potential nonmonetary benefits could include internships and industry exposure for students in construction, architecture, electrical and other trades. \"Part of the community benefit is gonna be financial, but part of it is going to be also a process where we will have a revolving door, opportunities for our scholars over the years as projects come online,\" he said.

When the resident pressed whether a cash donation had already been made and whether that amount would be recorded in district records, the trustees said they could not confirm any completed transfer. Administrators directed the resident to provide more details so the district could check whether a resolution accepting funds had been posted or acted on. Board President Robert Troiano was described as having had conversations with Alpine and its counsel; trustees said any formal acceptance of funds would be recorded in a future resolution and communicated to the public.

No vote or resolution on a developer contribution was taken at the May 6 hearing. Trustees said they would disclose details when agreements are finalized and when any formal board action occurred.","During the Westbury budget hearing, a resident asked whether a financial contribution reported at a village hearing had been made to the school district. Trustee Continier and administrators said any community-benefit agreement with developer Alpine Developments is still under negotiation and not yet finalized or approved by the board.","actionData","errors"]

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Westbury proposes 2025–26 budget with second consecutive tax-levy freeze; two propositions on May 20 ballot

Trustee says community-benefit talks with Alpine Developments are ongoing; financial contribution not finalized