Peekskill board holds public hearing on $131.74 million 2025–26 budget; vote set for May 20

Cynthia Hawthorne, the Peekskill City School District assistant superintendent for business, presented the proposed 2025–26 budget at a public hearing and said the plan totals $131,740,528, a 7.06% increase from the current year. The district scheduled the public budget vote for May 20 at Peekskill High School.

The budget, Hawthorne said, would be financed by a mix of state aid, the local tax levy and other revenues; the district projects state aid will increase by about 8.2% but noted the state aid runs had not been finalized. Hawthorne said the district plans a 1.5% increase in its tax levy, equal to $46,034,517, and a projected tax-rate increase of 0.59%, which the presentation estimated would raise the average assessment by about $44.03 annually. The district intends to assign $2,000,000 from its fund balance to continue current programming.

Why it matters: district leaders said the budget is designed to sustain the Peekskill Promise — the district’s stated set of instructional priorities — and to support classroom instruction, student services and facility upkeep. During the presentation, Superintendent Dr. Mauricio emphasized community participation in the May 20 vote, saying, “Very important that we have all of our community come out to vote. We don't tell you how to vote, but we ask you to exercise your vote.”

Key spending and program items in the budget include adding a part‑time lunch monitor at each elementary school, hiring one full‑time physical education teacher to support physical education and health programs, and funding a high‑school college-and‑career counselor through a mix of grant and general funds. The district plans to expand world‑language offerings by adding French and to continue facility renovations, including flooring upgrades. Hawthorne described the budget’s functional breakdown as roughly 77% for program services, 14% for capital and 9% for administration.

Hawthorne provided the revenue composition shown in the district presentation: about 57% from state aid, 35% from the tax levy and 8% from other revenues. When a board member asked what “other” revenues included, Hawthorne said those sources include a utilities tax, county sales‑tax receipts and miscellaneous revenues.

No board vote on adoption occurred at the hearing; the district is holding the legally required public presentation before the community budget vote on May 20, when registered voters will decide the proposition. Hawthorne and Dr. Mauricio urged residents who are registered voters to participate in that election. "We ask everyone to come out and support our budget," Hawthorne said during her presentation.

Meeting context: the presentation was part of the board’s public meeting and drew limited board questions; no members of the public spoke during the hearing portion recorded in the transcript. The district encouraged registered voters to use the single polling place at Peekskill High School on May 20, open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Next steps: the district will proceed to the May 20 vote; the board did not take a formal adoption vote during the hearing.