Westbury board adopts $201.34 million 2025–26 budget, authorizes $8.37 million from capital reserve

The Westbury Union Free School District Board of Education on April 1 adopted a $201,341,468 budget for the 2025–26 school year and approved a second proposition allowing the district to appropriate up to $8,370,000 from its capital reserve fund for construction and renovation projects.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the proposed 2025–26 budget, which the district said represents a 1.2% increase over the current year and includes a school tax levy freeze for the third consecutive year. The board also voted unanimously to place Proposition 2 on the May ballot to permit use of capital reserve funds for projects described in the proposition text.

The budget presentation, given by Superintendent Dr. Chase and Assistant Superintendent for Business Mary O'Neil, listed the total budget amount and said detailed documents are posted on the district website. O'Neil told attendees the district is presenting a $201,341,468 budget, a 1.2% year-to-year increase, and reiterated there would be no increase in the school tax levy for 2025–26.

The district's finance staff noted several contextual fiscal markers during the presentation: Westbury reported a Moody's credit rating of AA2, said the district has no fiscal stress designation from the New York State Office of the State Comptroller, and cited consumer-price-index comparisons to show the budget increase is below recent inflation figures.

Proposition 2, as read aloud during the meeting, would authorize the board "pursuant to section 36 51 of the New York State Educational Law" to appropriate funds from a capital reserve fund established in February 2019 for the financing of construction, reconstruction, renovation and equipping of district facilities in an amount not to exceed $8,370,000. The district presentation said the capital reserve's remaining total is currently $8,400,000 and that using those funds would carry no additional cost to taxpayers.

The presentation also listed planned facility projects proposed for 2025–26 (band room renovation and septic repair at the high school; middle school bathroom and home-ec/tech-room improvements; gym and flooring work at Drexel and Powell's Lane; gym mats and bathroom work at Dryden; playground and bathroom renovations at Park Avenue) and cited a total of approximately $1,445,000 for a set of smaller general-fund projects. The proposal notes larger capital items would be funded from the identified capital reserve if voters approve Proposition 2.

District staff explained possible next steps if voters reject the budget: the board may resubmit the same or a revised budget for a second vote, or it must adopt a contingent budget if a second proposed budget is defeated. The presentation listed examples of items restricted under a contingent budget (community use of facilities, nonessential maintenance and capital expenditures, new equipment purchases, certain field trips, salary increases for noninstructional nonunion employees and certain student supplies).

The board set a budget hearing and the May 20 budget vote during the meeting; during the session presenters initially cited a May 6 hearing but the board later confirmed May 8 as the hearing date and May 20 as the public vote. The board president noted Trustee Dickerson's prior statement of support for both propositions when Dickerson informed the board he would be absent.

Votes at the meeting were unanimous on the budget and Proposition 2. The board president called for and the board approved the motion adopting the budget and placing Proposition 2 on the ballot.

The adoption closes the board's formal approval step; the budget will still be presented to voters on May 20 as required by state law.