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Ithaca school board proposes $169 million budget; resident questions annual use of reserves and transparency
Summary
At a May 13 budget hearing the Ithaca City School District presented a proposed $169 million budget and $115,031,984 tax levy ahead of a May 20 vote; a resident questioned routine use of the district's fund balance and the timing of published notices, while officials defended reserve use and announced an RFP for demographic and facilities studies.
The Ithaca City School District presented a proposed $169,000,000 budget on May 13 and set a May 20 vote, with polls open from noon to 9 p.m., while a resident told the board the district was "spending a lot of money" and raised concerns about routine use of the fund balance and late notice of the hearing.
At the hearing, a resident, Joe Lansky of Danby, told the board, "I think, you spend too much money," and said the meeting "was not listed anywhere" in mailed budget materials. Lansky asked whether it was legal for the district to rely on fund balance year after year and requested details about the reserve.
Dr. Dom Lisi, identified in the hearing as the district business official, responded that the fund balance is "not necessarily used to increase the budget. It's really used to offset and to decrease the burden on the local tax year," and said it is common practice to use fund balance in that way. The board's president noted that New York State allows school districts to maintain a reserve fund and stated the district aims to document where those monies will be applied.
The board described the proposed totals at the hearing: a $169,000,000 budget (a 3.69% increase from the prior year) and a proposed tax levy of $115,031,984. Officials said the fund-balance draw this year would be roughly $7 million to $8 million if used and that maintaining reserves supports the district's credit rating and borrowing costs.
Board members and staff told the room the district publishes required legal notices in the Ithaca Journal (the district's newspaper of record), distributes information via social media and email, and posts a budget web page. The board president acknowledged some materials went to print late because of timing at the state level, and said the district would "get the QR code fixed, ASAP" so the budget web page and packet are easier to access.
Officials also told the hearing the board will issue an RFP this summer for a demography and population-projection study and an evaluation of district properties and facilities to better inform long-term planning.
During the hearing board members noted Ithaca's disproportionate local funding burden in state formulas: a board member cited that the district receives roughly 25% to 30% of revenue from state aid, compared with a state average near 40%, and said local taxpayers shoulder about 70% of the burden versus a statewide average of roughly 56%.
No motion or formal vote occurred at the hearing; the board presented the proposal and invited public comment ahead of the scheduled budget vote on May 20. Officials encouraged voters to review the budget materials online or in the printed packet and to contact board members or the business office with detailed questions.
The meeting closed with a reminder of the May 20 vote and an assurance the board would provide additional materials and follow-up answers by email or in person upon request.
