Rockville Centre board adopts $139.9 million proposed budget, schedules May 20 vote

The Rockville Centre Board of Education on April 10 approved a proposed 2025-26 budget of $139,889,186.83 and set the district’s annual vote for May 20.

The budget would raise the property tax levy to $109,240,000, a 2.6% increase and below the district’s levy limit of 2.62%, district budget presenter Miss Rehak said. She described a budget-to-budget spending increase of 1.63% and said the package includes a $1.8 million transfer for capital projects and new academic and after-school offerings.

Why it matters: If voters approve the plan on May 20, it will determine spending for salaries, transportation, capital repairs and new course offerings across Rockville Centre schools and set the tax impact for homeowners ahead of the 2025-26 school year.

Miss Rehak summarized the budget’s three-part legal presentation required under Education Law: administrative, academic-program and capital components. She said the academic program component represents just under 79% of the overall total and that the largest single increase in the academic portion is transportation, which she said rose by about $1 million. She also told the board the district added excess cyber insurance to the budget and that the administrative component reflects a roughly 15% increase in some insurance costs.

"We still are at a budget to budget increase of 1.63%...and our tax levy is at...$109,240,000. That's a 2.6% increase, which is under the cap of 2.62%," Miss Rehak said.

Superintendent Michael Gavin reminded the board that state aid remains uncertain. "We still don't have a final state aid budget yet," Gavin said; he and Rehak said the district was using one-house projections that would likely yield a roughly 2% increase in foundation aid but cautioned the numbers could change.

On homeowner impact, Rehak said preliminary county assessment figures and adjusted base proportions indicate the average Rockville Centre homeowner would pay about $319 more a year (about a 2.25% increase) under the proposed levy, subject to final county assessment and allocation.

Public comment at the hearing focused on insurance and transportation costs. Longtime resident Jeff Greenfield told the board he had heard concerns about the district’s insurance reciprocal and warned Albany legislation might affect districts that participate in the reciprocal. "Your insurance carrier may be insolvent," Greenfield said, urging the board to track the issue closely. David Putterman, another resident, asked about benefit increases; Rehak said the budget assumes an 8% increase in health insurance but that final rates for the latter half of the year are unknown.

Board members discussed transportation procurement and a planned consortium bid through Nassau BOCES. One board member said districts in the southwest Nassau quadrant are exploring a joint bid and a subcommittee; Rehak said she will join the subcommittee. Rehak also noted that some of the added transportation cost reflects additional out-of-district placements that create more routes, not only higher contractor rates.

After the presentation and public comment the board voted to approve the proposed budget for presentation to voters. A motion to approve the proposed 2025-26 budget was moved, seconded and carried by voice vote.

Votes at a glance - Approval of proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year in the amount of $139,889,186.83 — motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote (individual roll-call tally not specified in the record). - Adoption of the property tax report card pursuant to part 170 of the Commissioner’s Regulations — motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote (tally not specified). - Consent agenda (items O1 through Q10), including UPK expansion item Q4 and acceptance of a $1,200 gift for art supplies from the Ruth Klonsky family — motion moved and seconded; approved by voice vote (tally not specified).

The budget book and detailed materials will be posted on the district website and in district offices and schools. The district’s formal public budget hearing is May 8; the May 20 vote will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the Southside High School main gymnasium.