Superintendent presents $96.23 million proposed budget, board says it stays under state tax cap

District leadership presented the Hendrick Hudson Central School District’s proposed 2025-26 budget at the April 2 Board of Education meeting and asked the board to adopt the spending amount to send to the voters.

The proposed total was presented as $96,232,500, a 2.86 percent increase budget to budget, and — according to the business office presentation — within the district’s allowable tax-cap calculation of 4.58 percent. Presenters said the budget is the district’s three-part spending plan required by state rules: instructional, administrative and capital components. The packet noted a $144,912 reduction in reliance on fund balance after the district identified unused bus appropriations in its debt-service fund.

Administrators described elements of the budget the district said would support program needs and facilities work, and said it includes contingent positions that could be activated if enrollment or student needs change. The presentation highlighted resources to aid a mandated or encouraged shift to lower-emission vehicles; staff said the ballot language authorizes borrowing “up to” an amount to purchase vehicles and that purchases would proceed only if needed. The district referenced a possible electric-bus pilot of two buses in materials presented to the board.

Presentation materials and staff remarks said the board must adopt a spending amount to present to voters; after adoption the district will hold a public hearing on May 7 and a voter election on May 20. Staff also said they will publish an online levy-impact calculator that allows residents to estimate the tax effect for a $300,000 or $400,000 assessed value home, and will run multiple budget forums (virtual and in person) and release a budget newsletter; the district indicated April 15 as a soft deadline for final newsletter content to go to print.

Administrators cautioned the state budget had not been finalized at the time of the meeting; they said if the state aid figure changes the district may revise the spending plan. Board members and staff discussed process points: the adopted spending amount sets the ballot proposition but could be adjusted before the budget hearing if state aid changes; staff said routine practice has been to record additional state aid as revenue or to reallocate modest increases into fund balance after year-end if appropriation changes are minor.

After the presentation the board moved and approved the resolution to submit the budget proposition to voters; the transcript records motions, seconds and voice approval but does not include a roll-call tally in the public record.