Brighton presents preliminary 2025 budget with proposed reductions, limited new revenue

At the March 25 Brighton Central School District Board of Education meeting, district staff presented a preliminary budget proposal that would increase total spending by 5.45% while keeping the proposed tax levy increase at 2.03 percent.

The presentation from Dr. McGowan, a district staff member who led the review, said the draft asks the board to adopt the budget at its April 8 meeting for presentation to the community and a May 20 district vote. "This is essentially what we will be asking you to vote on, for budget adoption," Dr. McGowan said.

Board members and district staff framed the proposal as an effort to balance rising personnel costs with limited new revenue. The draft shows salary and wage spending increasing by about $1.7 million and employee benefits rising by about $2.9 million. District leaders said they expect $1.8 million in new revenue next year (approximately $600,000 in foundation aid and $1.2 million from the property tax levy under the cap), leaving a multi‑million dollar gap.

To close that gap, the district outlined a mix of options: increasing reimbursements and categorical revenue where possible, using one‑time purchases funded from current resources, appropriating more of the fund balance (the appropriated fund balance is proposed at $3.25 million, up $500,000 from the prior plan), and targeted reductions. The presentation said the district plans to use an additional $250,000 from reserves designated for other purposes (raising that reserve use from $1.0 million to $1.25 million). "We think we're taking what I would refer to as a responsible risk, relative to long term planning," Dr. McGowan said.

Program changes and personnel adjustments described in the presentation include: a net reduction of 11.58 full‑time equivalent positions; an increase of one special education position (to be hired directly rather than through BOCES to reduce contract costs); adding 1.6 FTE in English as a New Language (ENL) services; a reduction of the K–5 math specialist position through attrition; reductions across K–8 special subject areas (small fractional reductions in several positions); changes to paraprofessional staffing through freezes of current vacancies and anticipated attrition; and a small increase in school nurse allocation based on building coverage needs. The presentation noted that the district is aiming to avoid involuntary layoffs where possible and that many reductions would come from vacancies or attrition.

The district also reviewed anticipated class sizes and enrollment shifts used to justify staffing changes (kindergarten 12; first grade 13 to 12; second grade 12; third grade 11 to 13; fourth grade 11 to 12; fifth grade 12 to 11), and warned that larger reductions would push many classes into the low‑to‑mid 20s.

District staff emphasized that mandated services—special education and ENL—remain priorities and that reductions focus first on deferred purchases, temporary spending, and nonessential services. The presentation also reiterated that the levy increase would remain under the state tax cap calculations; the district projected a 2.03% levy increase and said the final state budget and equalization rates could change the tax‑rate per $1,000 of assessed value for individual homeowners.

Next steps: the district plans to present a finalized proposal April 8, hold a budget hearing April 13 (noted in the presentation as May 13 for the community hearing previously referenced), and put the budget to a public vote on May 20 at district polling locations (7 a.m.–9 p.m.).

The board did not take a final vote on the budget on March 25; the presentation functioned as the preliminary review and direction to continue to finalize estimates and community materials.

Details from the presentation and district handouts are available on the district website; board members asked staff to return with the finalized figures and the state budget’s impact before the April adoption meeting.