Penfield board presents $128.6 million 2025-26 budget; vote set for May 20

Emily Roberts, president of the Penfield Central School District Board of Education, opened the district's May 6 budget hearing and told attendees "the vote on the budget and for members of the Board of Education is in 2 weeks and not at this meeting." The hearing reviewed a proposed $128,625,535 general fund budget for 2025-26, which the board said represents a 7.47% increase over the current year.

Why it matters: The board emphasized the increase is driven largely by personnel and benefit costs tied to enrollment growth and state and market pressures, and the levy increase stays below the district's allowable local cap. Voters will decide the budget and two propositions at Penfield High School on Tuesday, May 20, with polls open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

District leaders said the budget adds staff to meet a rising student population (projected enrollment 4,711) and expanded services. "Personnel drive school costs," said Dr. Driffill during the fiscal portion of the presentation, noting wages and benefits account for roughly three-quarters of the district's expenditures. The budget includes hiring plans that the district described as 11 new FTEs already added this year and a plan to add 5–6 more for 2025-26, including special education teachers, teacher assistants and security workers.

The board described several cost pressures: a 14.4% rise in 65+ medical premiums tied to changes in prescription coverage, a roughly 20% increase in workers' compensation premiums and a roughly 9% rise in employer retirement contributions. Debt service is projected at about $2.5 million; the district said state building aid covers a portion of that debt service.

On revenue, Penfield expects about 57% of funding from the property tax levy and roughly 36% from New York State education aid; the board highlighted a projected foundation-aid increase that helped reduce local burden. The proposed tax levy under the tax-cap formula will increase by 3.33% to approximately $72.9 million, below the district's maximum allowable levy of $73,764,170. The district said the levy increase would mean a change in town tax rates that would vary by municipality because of differing equalization rates.

The board walked through estimated local tax-rate changes by town under the proposal, showing Penfield's town rate moving to approximately $21.34 per $1,000 of assessed value (an increase of $0.78 per $1,000), while the "true value" tax rate (if all towns were fully equalized) would drop from $17.90 to $16.02. The presentation explained equalization and how town revaluations affect local tax rates.

The budget hearing noted uncertainty in final state aid because the state budget process had not been fully reconciled. The district said it budgeted based on the governor's executive proposal and the February 2025 aid runs available to school finance officials.

A second ballot proposition would authorize the purchase of 11 replacement buses (six large electric, four mini gas and one mini gas with a wheelchair lift) at an aggregate list cost of $3.5 million; the district expects to use its bus purchase reserve and to net rebates and subsequent state transportation aid that lower the local cost to about $567,000. Presenters said New York State's electric-bus incentive program (NISBIP) stacks with transportation aid and could produce net positive reserve impacts.

No formal vote on the budget was taken at the hearing; Roberts reminded voters to cast ballots in the May 20 election at the high school gym. "This proposal continues the board's commitment to providing our students with an outstanding educational program and our residents with an outstanding value," she said at the close of the hearing.

Looking ahead: The board scheduled informational events and urged residents to attend or review posted materials; final adoption depends on the May 20 vote and any later state budget reconciliations.