Fulton City School District unveils $94.2 million 2025–26 budget; voters to decide May 20

The Fulton City School District presented a proposed $94,197,840 budget for the 2025–26 school year at a public budget hearing, Superintendent Brian Pulpino said, with voters scheduled to decide the proposal on May 20, 2025.

The proposal, presented by Superintendent Brian Pulpino and Business Administrator Kate Hooper, would rely primarily on state aid (reported as 69.2% of projected revenues), a proposed 1.9% tax levy increase and $3,850,000 drawn from district reserves to close the gap between revenues and expenditures. Pulpino said the district reduced its initial rollover budget by $5.1 million and identified 59 position reductions, most resulting from retirements, resignations or dismissals.

Why this matters: The budget funds classroom instruction, student supports and school operations across the district and would directly affect local taxpayers, district staffing and extracurricular programs if approved. The board also placed three other propositions on the May 20 ballot — two vehicle purchases to replace aging vans, sale of a district-owned Erie Street property, and a separate library tax levy — that would affect capital and ancillary services if approved by voters.

Pulpino opened the hearing by describing the package and the district priorities driving it. “The purpose of this evening's meeting is to…