Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ossining school officials preview $178.6 million budget; May 20 vote set
Summary
Superintendent and finance staff outlined the 2025-26 spending plan, a $178.6 million proposal with a 1.67% tax‑levy at the tax‑cap, a $5.5 million contingency for potential grant cuts and a list of capital projects including an AMD track and classroom air conditioning.
Ossining — School leaders presented the district’s 2025‑26 budget at a statutory public hearing on May 7, saying the $178.6 million spending plan is down about $1.6 million from the prior year and carries a proposed tax levy increase of 1.67%, the district’s tax‑cap amount.
The hearing served as the district’s required public presentation under New York State law ahead of the May 20 budget vote. Assistant Superintendent Alita McCoy said the district plans to use about $6.7 million in fund balance and will set aside roughly $5.5 million in unappropriated fund balance to cover potential mid‑year cuts to federal and state grants and related salaries and benefits.
The district also highlighted capital work included in the budget. The capital portion totals about $16.7 million and the administration figure is $23.1 million, while program (instructional) spending accounts for roughly $139 million. McCoy and other staff described planned projects that include an AMD track, expanded building cameras, masonry and stair repairs, a second‑floor rooftop unit replacement, earthwork and site work behind the grade 7–8 building, a cafeteria renovation and kitchen addition at Claremont, and purchases of air‑conditioning equipment for most instructional spaces. McCoy said some site work tied to the driveway project already began this year and that, with budget approval, the district can purchase air‑conditioning equipment under state contract and start related electrical work.
Why it matters: the budget includes capital investments the district says respond to building needs and to prior board direction about preserving capital project capacity while covering bond premiums. Officials also framed the fund‑balance set‑aside as a contingency to reduce the need for deeper cuts should federal or state grant awards change after the district’s planning.
Board action and next steps: McCoy reminded the public the board had previously adopted a budget; the May 7 presentation was the statutory hearing required 7–14 days before the vote. Board officials said no one attended the hearing in person or online to ask budget questions, and that “there is no action required by the board regarding the budget hearing.” The district’s budget vote is scheduled for May 20 at the Ossining High School small gym.
Details reported by the district: the total proposed spending is $178,600,000 (a $1,600,000 decrease from the prior year); the proposed tax levy increase is 1.67%; planned use of undesignated fund balance is about $6.7 million; the district reports setting aside about $5.5 million to cover salary/benefit exposure if certain federal or state grants are reduced; capital spending is listed at about $16.7 million. District staff said they have not received updated state aid runs and are using the projections available at the time of the governor’s budget proposal.
Statements and sources: the presentation and all figures cited above were given by district staff at the May 7 statutory budget hearing. Assistant Superintendent Alita McCoy presented the budget breakdown and contingency plan. Superintendent Mary Fox Alter framed the legal requirement for the hearing, noting the board must provide a public presentation of the proposed budget at least seven days but not more than 14 days before the vote.
Looking ahead: Voters will decide May 20. If approved by voters, staff said purchase orders for air‑conditioning equipment could be issued promptly to begin implementation in 2025‑26.
