Montour district holds budget hearing; proposes $2.1 million capital reserve spending, stays under tax cap

Superintendent John McNamara presented the Wantagh Union Free School District’s proposed 2025–26 budget at the board’s May 8 business meeting and said the plan would stay below the district’s tax levy limit.

McNamara said the proposed tax levy would rise from about $67,000,000 to $68,900,000 and the overall budget would increase from roughly $91,700,000 to $94,700,000, noting the levy change remains under the district’s 2.89% tax-cap limit. He also said the district plans to ask voters to authorize $2,100,000 in spending from the capital reserve to fund four projects, led by a large roof replacement at Wantagh Elementary School.

The budget hearing matters because it sets the district’s spending priorities and sends two propositions to voters, McNamara said: the annual budget itself and the authorization to expend funds from the capital reserve. "This budget continues to maintain smaller elementary class sizes and funds program expansions while coming in below the tax levy limit of 2.89%," McNamara said.

McNamara walked the board and public through the budget drivers.…