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Board adopts $125.9M 2025–26 budget with 2% tax‑levy increase; bus propositions include nine EV buses that could cost district nothing after grants and aid
Summary
On April 22 the Hyde Park Central School District board adopted a $125.9 million proposed budget for 2025–26 that uses a 2% tax‑levy increase and scheduled the public vote for May 20; the agenda also placed two bus purchase propositions before voters, including a nine‑bus EV purchase the district says could be net‑zero cost after grants and aid.
The Hyde Park Central School District Board of Education adopted its proposed 2025–26 budget on April 22 and set the budget for the public vote on May 20.
The proposed general fund budget totals $125,900,000, a 4.13% increase over the prior year. The board adopted a plan that uses a 2% tax‑levy increase, below the district’s 2.43% tax‑cap threshold, and increases the appropriation of fund balance to bridge the remaining revenue gap.
District staff explained the revenue assumptions and major expenditure drivers during a final budget presentation. The board approved the required property tax report card and school district budget notice on April 22 and scheduled a public budget hearing at the district office on May 8.
Two bus purchase propositions will appear on the May 20 ballot in addition to the general fund budget: - Proposition 2: purchase seven conventional gasoline/diesel buses at a total estimated cost of $975,075. At the district’s estimated state aid rate (about 58.4% for bus purchases), the net district cost after aid would be $405,631. - Proposition 3: purchase nine 66‑passenger electric‑vehicle (EV) buses. The district said vendors and NYSERDA procedures allow a vendor to assign a NYSERDA grant so that the bus invoice presented to the district reflects the grant‑reduced amount while the state treats aid on the grant‑inclusive gross cost. Under that mechanism, district staff said the combination of NYSERDA grants and state aid could reduce the district’s net cost for the nine EV buses to zero.
District staff noted two drivers for bringing the EV proposition: (1) New York State requires districts to purchase only zero‑emission buses after July 1, 2027, and (2) available NYSERDA grant awards that the district can use now. The district also cited operating savings: in staff modeling an EV bus cost about $0.56 per mile in energy costs versus an estimated $1.26 per mile for diesel, a $0.71 per‑mile savings in basic energy costs (district figures).
Board members discussed the timing of the propositions and the availability of grants; one board member said the district should seize grant funding if available, while others asked for more data on operating and insurance impacts. District staff said NYSERDA awarded a $6,000,000 grant specific to Ralph R. Smith for a separate electrification scope that is not funded from these propositions and that the bus grants available to the district are independent.
The board also discussed a capital outlay project option (eligible for roughly 66.4% building aid) to study and plan for a districtwide security camera and access control upgrade and noted it will submit a multiyear capital outlay application that leverages state aid for camera upgrades.
What’s next: the district will hold a public budget hearing on May 8 and the budget vote on May 20 at Haviland Middle School (6 a.m.–8 p.m.). If voters approve the propositions, staff said bus purchases and project scheduling would proceed according to grant timing and SED approvals.
