Board proposes 2025–26 budget below tax-cap and places two bus propositions on the ballot

Hyde Park Central School District leaders presented a preliminary 2025–26 budget and a package of voter propositions at the March 13 board meeting, and trustees voted to place the budget and two bus propositions on the May ballot.

Superintendent Paige Roman and district finance director Linda Steinberg framed the budget discussion around four drivers: preserve programs and services, improve efficiency, maintain financial stability and limit taxpayer impact. They reported the district’s maximum allowable tax levy (the “tax cap”) at 2.43 percent and recommended adopting a levy increase of 2 percent — below the calculated cap — funded in part by an appropriation from fund balance so the district can preserve current programs while moderating the tax impact.

Nut graf: Trustees authorized placing three propositions on the May ballot: Proposition 1 (the 2025–26 general fund budget), Proposition 2 (replacement of seven gasoline/diesel buses) and Proposition 3 (purchase of nine electric buses). Finance staff said state and federal grant aid and anticipated state reimbursement structure would reduce the net taxpayer cost of the electric bus proposition.

Steinberg described estimates included in the presentation: the diesel/gas replacement package is shown at a gross cost of $975,075 with anticipated state aid of about 58.4 percent, lowering the net cost to taxpayers to approximately $405,631. For the nine electric buses, district staff reported a gross estimated cost of $4,500,000; Steinberg said the district would initially fund its local share from capital reserves (approximately $2,200,000) and that state aid and stacked grants (including NYSERDA NISBIP grants and other awards) would be applied so the district expects the net long-term taxpayer cost after aid to be effectively nil.

Board discussion included whether to change the order of the bus propositions on the ballot to lead with the electric-bus question. Trustees moved and debated an amendment to switch the numbering; board discussion was recorded and the final outcome on that proposed change left the ballot order unchanged.

Votes at a glance (board motions recorded at the March 13 meeting): - Motion to adopt Proposition 1 (2025–26 budget) — motion carried (board approved placing the budget on the May ballot). - Motion to place Proposition 2 (seven gas/diesel buses) on the ballot — motion carried. - Motion to place Proposition 3 (nine electric buses) on the ballot — motion carried. - Motion to change the order of the bus propositions (switch numbering so electric buses would be listed before gas/diesel) — proposed amendment debated; final outcome left the order unchanged after board vote (tally discussed during the meeting; trustees recorded both for and against votes during debate).

Ending: District leaders said they will continue to refine the proposed budget pending the state budget (due April 1), final BOCES service requests and updated aid rates, and will return with a final property tax report card and the adopted proposition language at subsequent board meetings ahead of the May 20 budget vote.