Riverhead superintendent's business officer presents $211 million proposed budget within 2.16% tax cap

Dr. Mary Anne Cartesano, the interim assistant superintendent for business, presented the Riverhead Central School District's preliminary 2025'26 budget proposal at the March 4, 2025 board meeting, outlining revenues, major expenditure increases and the district's budget calendar.

The proposal and tax-cap context

Cartesano described a superintendent-proposed budget of $211,000,000 for 2025'26, which she said represents a $9,900,000 increase (4.95%) over the current year and remains within the district's calculated property tax cap of 2.16 percent. "The superintendent's proposed budget of $211,000,000 with a $9,900,000 increase or 4.95%, and that is within the 2.16% property tax cap limit," Cartesano told the board.

Revenue assumptions and notable line items

District staff said the revenue plan anticipates approximately $4,900,000 in additional state aid tied to increased costs, a projected $800,000 increase in PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) receipts, and other revenue changes. Cartesano also described increases in special-education costs that are expected to drive higher state-aid receipts.

Major expenditure changes highlighted by Cartesano included:

- Instruction: $7,700,000 increase (the largest single area of growth); within instruction she identified a roughly $3,300,000 increase for programs for students with disabilities and about $2,800,000 in growth for regular-school programs and tuition. - Employee benefits (undistributed): described as a significant increase (presenters cited an increase in the range of $1.1 million to $1.5 million, with drivers including higher pension (ERS) rates and salary changes); Cartesano noted ERS impact and that TRS rate changes tempered some costs. - Transportation: approximately $635,000 increase, driven largely by district-operated buses and related costs.

Budget calendar and public process

Cartesano gave the board a schedule for budget development and public review: she said budget work sessions are scheduled (the next meeting to discuss expenditures), a budget hearing would be held May 6 and the district budget vote and board election would take place on the state'mandated election date, May 20, 2025, at Riverhead High School. She also said candidate packets for board seats would be available March 5 and that the deadline to file is April 21.

Questions from board members focused on where tuition and CSE placement costs are recorded (Cartesano confirmed those are included in the regular school and special-education codes) and on the status of posted backup data; Cartesano said full backup spreadsheets and the presentation were posted to the district website the same night.

Why it matters: Cartesano said the board authorized development of a budget that would not seek to pierce the tax cap (exceeding the cap requires a 60 percent voter supermajority). The proposed budget, if adopted and if state aid assumptions hold, would raise the tax levy within the local cap while funding instruction and special-education needs.

Ending: Cartesano and staff said they will return with more detailed expenditure discussions at the next budget workshop and that the public can review budget documents posted on the district website.