Elmsford school presenter outlines $47.28 million budget, proposes 1.75% tax-levy increase

A school district presenter told the Village of Elmsford board the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget is $47,280,512, representing a budget‑to‑budget increase of 4.34 and a proposed tax‑levy increase of 1.75%.

The presenter said the levy “does not exceed the New York State tax levy cap” and described the plan as “fiscally responsible and thoughtful,” emphasizing continued support for academic, co‑curricular and extracurricular programs while responding to the end of federal ESSER grant funding.

The presenter listed specific priorities for 2025–26: maintain favorable class sizes in primary grades (15–17 students), add 22 new high‑school courses including American Sign Language, expand athletics and enrichment, hire additional staff (a district registrar/state reporting position, a Hamilton High School art teacher, a bilingual subject‑area teacher and a bilingual school counselor), and create a kinesthetic lab at Dixon Elementary. The presenter said technology refreshes and facility repairs are included, citing completed work from a prior capital project and additional planned roof and HVAC repairs at Dixon, Hamilton and Grady.

Program spending and employee benefits are the largest budget items, the presenter said, accounting for nearly 74% of the budget; transportation was described as 10.7%, administration 5% and building operations 4.8%. The presenter said property taxes would provide 75.5% of revenues and that state aid is estimated at about 18.6% of the budget. The presenter also said the district plans to use repair reserves for one‑time capital repairs and anticipates a largely flat student enrollment based on demographic studies.

The presenter described contingency outcomes if the budget fails, saying a contingency budget would reduce equipment purchases, technology upgrades, administrative spending, fringe benefits, supplies, central data processing and professional development. The presenter closed by pointing the public to a line‑by‑line budget and a budget handbook posted on the district website and offered to take questions.

The presenter also addressed the school resource officer (SRO) program provided by the Village of Elmsford, saying contract negotiations with the village are ongoing and the district has budgeted for the SRO while negotiations continue: “we do believe that the school resource officer that has been provided from Elmsford… is something that we want to sustain,” the presenter said.

No formal vote on the budget or a motion to adopt it was recorded in the meeting transcript provided.