Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the K 12 Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Brighton Central School District adopts $110.6 million budget, sets 2.03% tax-levy increase
Summary
The Brighton Central School District Board of Education approved the 2025–26 spending plan, a $110,572,957 budget that raises the property tax levy by 2.03% while relying on increased foundation aid and the use of reserves to close the gap.
The Brighton Central School District Board of Education on April 8 approved the 2025–26 budget, a $110,572,957 spending plan that increases the district property tax levy by 2.03% and projects a 5.45% rise in overall spending.
Superintendent Dr. McGowan presented the proposal and explained that the board built the budget using the governor’s proposed state-aid numbers, which the district does not expect to fall below. "It is what it is, and we are where we are," Dr. McGowan said while walking the board through revenue assumptions, spending priorities and the district’s reliance on reserves to smooth near-term shortfalls.
The district projects a $4.2 million increase in operations spending and $1.5 million in capital outlays. Salary and wage spending rises 1.74% while employee benefits are expected to increase 8.71%. The plan shows a 2.75% increase for BOCES services, a 4.83% increase for supplies and services, and a 24% increase in the district’s debt transfer line (noted as a small share of the total budget by dollar value).
Board materials and Dr. McGowan’s presentation said the district is relying on several strategies to close the preliminary gap: maximizing categorical reimbursements, evaluating short-term revenue opportunities including investment income, increasing the appropriated fund balance by roughly $250,000, and using about $500,000 in reserves to close remaining shortfalls. The district emphasized minimizing impacts on student programming and targeting investments in mental health, academic excellence, family and student supports, and operations.
Staffing adjustments shown in the proposal include a net reduction of approximately 1.5 teaching positions year-over-year and a districtwide net change of about 12.08 positions (including reductions and additions in paraprofessional, nurse and custodial allocations). Dr. McGowan said most reductions were achieved through attrition and smaller fractional position changes. The recommended classroom section changes for elementary grades produced modest average-class-size shifts (for example, kindergarten sections remain at 12 with an anticipated average of about 19.7–20.8 depending on grade-level movement).
The presentation projected a roughly $144 annual tax increase on a $250,000 home in Brighton based on current equalization estimates and the proposed 2.03% levy. Dr. McGowan cautioned that final taxpayer impacts depend on town equalization rates and the still-unsettled state budget; however, the board said it built the plan assuming the governor’s proposed aid figures.
The board set a public budget hearing for May 13 and scheduled the district vote for May 20 in the same building where the meeting occurred. During the April 8 meeting the board approved the budget and the property tax report card by voice vote; the motion passed after the chair called for the question and members answered "Aye."
