Cornwall board reviews $92.7 million recommended budget; UPK demand and tax-levy size dominate debate

The Cornwall Central School District on Monday reviewed a recommended $92,721,136 budget for 2025–26 and opened detailed discussion about Universal Pre-K (UPK) expansion, staffing requests and how to balance the spending plan with taxpayers.

Superintendent Terry Dade briefed the board on UPK demand and the program’s recent growth. “UPK for all is a very nice headline,” Dade said, but he warned that the district’s use of lotteries and limited building space limit how quickly the district can expand seats. He told the board that the district added seats in 2022, 2023 and 2024, bringing the district total to 98 seats and $312,000 added to the operating budget over three years; he said the current class roster reached application number 144 this year and that multiple families on the wait list had declined offered slots.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Mr. Fink presented the recommended spending plan and revenue assumptions. He described the administration’s priorities, noting teacher attrition and program needs, and repeated the district’s staffing commitment: “We will not cut staff, okay, and we will not excise excess staff, and our instructional programs will continue to develop,” Mr. Fink said.

Why it matters: The recommended budget would continue current programs while relying on a mix of property tax revenue, state aid and the district’s assigned fund balance. Board members debated whether to hold the tax-levy increase to 2.5 percent…