Mineola UFSD proposes 2.08% tax-levy increase, $112 million 2025-26 budget; board hears plan to buy nine vehicles

Mineola Union Free School District staff on Wednesday outlined a proposed $112,000,000 budget for the 2025-26 school year that would raise the district's maximum tax levy to 2.08%, a levy increase of $1,810,557 for that year.

The presentation, delivered by a district staff member identified in the meeting transcript as Will, framed the levy increase as a response to rising personnel and nonpersonnel costs. "Our goal is always to only take in tax dollars what is needed for the district and the programming and operations to run," Will said, adding that salary and benefits account for about 80% of the district's total cost.

The budget overview showed salary and benefit lines rising by roughly 1.96% overall, with an almost $1.1 million increase in salaries. The district said it is not increasing the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) line because a lower employer contribution rate offsets salary-eligible increases; the Employee Retirement System (ERS) budget is expected to rise by about $300,000. Other benefit categories (unemployment, workers' compensation, Social Security, disability insurance) were listed as increasing by $102,000. Non-salary expenses…