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Syosset presents 2025–26 budget proposal with 2.77% tax levy; public and PTA voice mixed reactions
Summary
Syosset Central School District presented a $10 million increase budget for 2025–26 that preserves programs, forecasts enrollment-driven costs and proposes a 2.77% tax levy under the state cap; PTA units endorsed the proposal while a public commenter urged elected help with rising taxes.
Syosset Central School District officials presented the district's 2025'26 budget at a state-required public hearing, outlining a 3.53% overall budget increase and a proposed tax levy of 2.77% that the district says is about $67,000 under the state tax cap.
The presentation, delivered by Dr. Bridal, associate superintendent for business, said the plan supports about 7,200 students across 10 schools and seeks to preserve academic, extracurricular and social-emotional programs while addressing rising costs in transportation, health insurance and contract inflation. "We are again presenting a budget for 2025'26 that preserves all of our program while coming in with a tax levy that is below the cap," Dr. Bridal said.
The budget documents presented to the board show roughly $10 million in total budget increases driven largely by regular and special education programs and related benefits (which Dr. Bridal said account for about 60% of the increase), with roughly $2.5 million attributed to contract transportation and bus costs. The presentation included a district plan to purchase three buses, which administration said could break even in about three years and yield long-term savings given typical bus life cycles.
Why it matters: the tax levy and program preservation affect homeowners'taxes and local services. District officials said they balanced program retention against fiscal constraints and increased reserve use to offset levy pressure. State aid remains a minority of revenues, at about 12% of the budget, while the tax levy is the largest share at about 79%.
The hearing included public remarks. A resident who identified herself as a longtime homeowner described the burden of rising local taxes and urged the district and elected officials to seek additional state or federal support. "We're not moving out. We're gonna fight for our right living in Syosset," the resident said. The board said a district administrator would follow up with the commenter and that the district has sought aid adjustments from Albany for districts with unusual enrollment growth.
The Syosset Council of PTAs reported that all 11 PTA units conducted votes after the district's information sessions and that each unit supported the 2025'26 budget. "All 11 PTA units have voted to support the 2025'26 budget this year," Jen Abraham, president of the Syosset Council of PTAs, told the board.
Key details and next steps: the budget packet describes planned facilities work (tennis court renovations and additions, ADA improvements, auditorium sound and lighting upgrades, roofing, masonry and paving), curricular investments (new K'5 curricula, additional classes for students with intensive needs, new high school courses) and expanded social-emotional supports including a social worker in every building and an ongoing partnership with Northwell Health. The district said about 36% of the bus purchase cost will be covered through state aid over several years.
The board did not vote on the budget at the hearing; the budget vote and school board election are scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, according to Dr. Bridal. District budget materials and earlier presentations are posted on the Syosset Central School District website.
