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Greece Central raises its preliminary state aid figure, presents $318.5 million draft budget and outlines risks
Summary
Finance staff told the board a state-aid adjustment increased building aid by about $1.2 million, producing a working state-aid figure of roughly $168.4 million and a draft 2025–26 budget of $318.5 million; the finance team flagged categorical-grant and child-nutrition risks and outlined next steps.
District finance staff presented an update to the board on the district’s draft 2025–26 budget, including a building aid adjustment that raised the district’s working state-aid number and a discussion of budget risks tied to federal and state funding.
Finance presenter Romeo Cooley said reconciliation with financial partners increased the district’s building aid estimate by about $1.2 million, bringing the working state-aid number to about $168.4 million. With that adjustment and other revenue and expenditure reviews, Cooley said the district’s draft budget stands at $318.5 million, an increase of roughly $10.7 million (about 3.5%) from the prior year; he said the estimated tax levy stands at about $128 million, an increase of approximately $2.6 million (about 2%).
Cooley reviewed prior projections, noting that on Feb. 4 the district had shown a roughly $5.8 million gap after accounting for projected staffing, contract increases and other commitments. Since then the district firmed up the tax levy calculation, reconciled building aid after December cost reports were submitted to the state, and reduced some contingencies (health care and benefit cushions) to narrow the gap.
On the expenditure side, staff identified savings and adjustments: estimated retiree breakage of about $1.6 million (replacing higher-salaried retirees with lower-salaried replacements), a debt-service adjustment of about $1.1 million, a BOCES services reduction of about $313,000 after review, and reductions to benefit contingencies. Cooley said roughly 80% of the budget-to-budget increase is tied to salaries and benefits and that those increases largely follow negotiated contract terms.
Cooley and board members discussed potential budget risks. Cooley said possible federal cuts to categorical grants (Title I, IDEA) are not the most likely scenario but would require decisions because those grants often fund positions. Child-nutrition funding and Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) thresholds were discussed as a more immediate risk: if CEP eligiblity thresholds change, one or two buildings could lose CEP status; the district could choose to cover any resulting food-service shortfall from the general fund and would present the board with a resolution to do so if needed.
Board members asked about charter-school billing and student transiency. Cooley said charter invoices are tracked and billed based on listed Greece residents; annual charter costs have grown significantly over the last decade and are a known pressure on the budget. He said the district holds data on which students are billed to charters but would have to dig further to see who returns and why.
The finance team also discussed a new capital reserve resolution the board considered to seed a future multi-year facilities program. Cooley described a $50 million target for the reserve and said initial deposits would likely come from existing reserves and year-end fund balance, subject to board approval.
Cooley emphasized that the district’s numbers could change pending the legislative budget and that the board would receive an updated revenue and expenditure summary at the next meeting prior to the superintendent’s recommended budget.
