Ossining superintendent proposes 2025–26 budget under 2% tax-levy increase, recommends contingency using fund balance
Loading...
Summary
At a March 15 budget workshop, district staff presented the superintendent's proposed 2025'26 budget that holds the tax levy below 2%, relies on targeted use of unappropriated fund balance and includes contingency planning in case federal or state grant funding is reduced midyear.
The Ossining Union Free School District presented the superintendent's proposed budget for the 2025'26 school year at a March 15 budget workshop, projecting a final tax-levy increase below 2 percent and recommending use of unappropriated fund balance to manage one-time needs and potential midyear grant reductions.
The proposal, delivered by budget presenter Alita Suber, lays out a spending plan slightly lower than the prior year and reflects a recommended levy limit of about 1.67 percent. Suber said the overall district budget is about $1.5 million lower than 2024'25 and that the proposal does not draw on several restricted reserves: "We are not using any capital reserves or ERS or TRS reserves in the 25'26 budget," she said.
District administrators emphasized contingency planning for federal and state grant uncertainty. The proposed budget uses $6.6 million of unappropriated fund balance to stay within the levy limit and recommends maintaining additional unassigned fund balance as a one-year cushion if federal or state grants—many of which fund staff—are reduced. The administration estimated roughly $6.8 million in federal and state grant revenue in 2025'26, about $4.8 million of which covers salaries and roughly $494,000 for benefits; they recommended setting aside an additional contingency equal to several million dollars of that exposure rather than increasing the levy.
The package adds a small number of staff in operational and instructional areas and includes continued funding for bond-related capital work and equipment purchases such as window air-conditioner units for classrooms that do not yet have central HVAC. Administrators said they aim to preserve core programs and avoid midyear cuts by using targeted fund balance rather than increasing recurring tax burden.
The board and administration said the budget figures are preliminary and could change after the state finalizes its aid runs and the district finalizes capital timing. The administration plans further analysis before Board adoption and public presentation ahead of the district's required budget vote.
Looking ahead, the district will present a formal adoption proposal consistent with state timelines. The superintendent's office and business staff will continue to refine state-aid projections and confirm the final levy limit number after the state budget runs are released in late March or early April.
