Harrison Central moves to close $400,000 budget gap after 4.1% spending increase

Harrison Central School District officials told the Board of Education on April 2 that the district faces a proposed $5.8 million, or 4.1%, increase to next year’s budget and is pursuing roughly $3.59 million in expenditure reductions to close a remaining about $400,000 gap.

Tim, staff member, who led the revenue portion of the budget work session, said, “The total budget change is increases by 4.1% or $5,800,000.” He told the board the district can increase its levy by 3.1% under the tax-cap rules, which would raise about $3.8 million in property-tax revenue.

The nut of the discussion was why the budget has grown and how the district plans to bridge the shortfall. “The 2 main cost drivers, as you can see, are health insurance and really the tuition and related services for some of the special programs that we have for students, with disabilities,” Tim said. He added that a recent rise in outplaced special-education placements has increased private-excess-cost charges and that some of those costs should be offset next year by higher state reimbursements.

District officials said they expect about $7 million in state aid for the district next year but are awaiting the final New York State budget. “We derive, you know, about $7,000,000 of our budget, on our state aid,” Tim said, noting the state budget was not finalized by the April 1 deadline and that the board is watching possible changes in foundation-aid increases and other policy items that could affect school funding.

To reduce the gap, administrators outlined roughly $3,593,000 in recommended reductions and efficiencies, including scaling back some part-time positions and stipends, identifying underused software to cancel, and shifting some services to BOCES. The presentation listed $3,300,000 in planned use of fund balance/reserve funds as a bridge between revenues and expenditures.

Officials also noted revenue-side details: a tax-based growth factor of 1.23% derived from assessments, an expected sales-tax contribution of about $3 million from Westchester County, and a projected real-property-tax increase tied to the 3.1% levy limit. The presenter said interest-and-earnings projections were being budgeted conservatively after several years of elevated returns.

Board members and administrators emphasized timing and next steps. The district’s Citizens Budget Advisory Committee will meet April 7; administrators expect to finalize the budget recommendation on April 22, hold a public budget hearing May 7 and a budget vote May 20. Tim told the board the district still expects to identify the final $400,000 needed either through additional reductions or new revenue once the state budget and other final figures are known.

Timeline and immediate next steps taper the report: a committee meeting April 7, a superintendent’s recommendation April 22, a budget hearing May 7 and a budget vote May 20.