Somers board adopts 2025-26 tax report card; $63.9M capital project remains on May 20 ballot

The Somers Central School District Board of Education on April 22 adopted the district's 2025-26 property tax report card setting a $113,477,113 budget and scheduled the public budget vote and trustee election for May 20, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Somers Middle School.

Why it matters: The district and its Citizens Finance Committee told the board the proposed plan aims to hold the district's local debt-service share steady while using building aid and reserves to finance a $63.9 million capital project on the ballot; if voters reject the budget, the district faces roughly $2.3 million in contingent cuts largely affecting positions and programs.

The board vote: Board members voted to adopt the property tax report card and related resolutions during the business consent agenda. Chris, the district superintendent, presented the budget numbers and tax analysis to the board, saying the proposed 2025-26 budget totals $113,477,113, about $2.6 million (2.41 percent) more than the current year. He also said the tax levy increase is estimated at 2.63 percent with an estimated tax rate of about 2.52.

Budget details and taxpayer examples: Superintendent Chris said the district's presentation includes an example showing that a home with an assessed value of $70,000 would see an increase of about $330 for the 2025-26 school year and a condo assessed at $23,000 would see about $108. He cautioned the district does not set final tax rates; the town assessment equalization and final assessments, set later in the summer, determine the final tax rate.

Contingency options and possible cuts: The board reviewed contingency paths if voters reject the budget on May 20: resubmit the same or a revised budget for a June 17 vote or adopt a contingency budget that would keep the tax levy at a zero increase compared with the current year. Chris said the contingent cuts would total roughly $2.3 million and would fall largely on positions (staffing), some equipment or renovation projects (except health-and-safety items), and a number of programs and coaching positions. The superintendent said a line-by-line contingent budget is available in the public binder and the PDF posted with the budget documents.

Capital project on the ballot: The district also reiterated details of the proposed capital project, which totals about $63,900,000. Chris said the project focuses on infrastructure and instructional upgrades across all four schools and that the district plans to use approximately $1,800,000 from a capital reserve fund established previously. Project elements listed in the presentation include pavement and concrete repairs, HVAC and water systems, fire alarms, classroom improvements, auditorium and arts spaces, playground repairs, track resurfacing, field lighting and selected athletic facility work, and STEM and art lab upgrades. The superintendent and staff explained the district plans to time borrowing and construction so that new debt aligns with anticipated building-aid receipts and to structure long-term bonds for 15 years to coincide with building aid timing.

Aim to limit local tax impact: Multiple presenters, including Rachel Rabinowitz of the district's Citizens Finance Committee, emphasized that the district and the finance committee worked to structure the timing of debt service so that the transition from old bond payments to new debt would be roughly tax-neutral for homeowners. Rabinowitz told the board the Citizens Finance Committee met more than five times this year to review project documents, historical data and budget assumptions; she said the committee scrutinized expenses and funding sources and sought to minimize tax impact while addressing building needs. "The ultimate goal for the district is to provide a nurturing environment where every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally," Rabinowitz said, adding the committee focused on balancing that mission with fiscal responsibility.

Building-aid timing and risk: Board members and the superintendent noted that the district's actual receipt of state building aid depends on the state queue and timing of approvals, which remains uncertain. Chris said the district will plan project phasing around the state queue and building-aid timing and that delays could change when debt service begins.

Public outreach and next steps: The district announced two public walk-throughs of campuses for the capital project: a May 1 walkthrough of the middle-school and SIS campus beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a May 13 walkthrough of the high-school/Primrose campus. The district also scheduled a public budget hearing on May 6 and will post full budget documents, a Q&A and contact information (capitalproject@somerschools.org) on the district website.

Votes at a glance - Adoption of the 2025-26 property tax report card and setting the budget vote and trustee election for May 20, 2025 (Budget: $113,477,113). Outcome: approved. Note: public vote scheduled; final tax rate depends on town assessments. - Personnel consent agenda (hiring/terminations as listed): approved. - Business consent agenda, including award of lease-purchase financing bid and year-end reserve transfer authority: approved. - BOCES administrative budget for 2025-26 ($12,136,000): approved. - Election of two candidates to the BOCES board (Frank Schnecker of Ossining; Tina Mackey of Putnam Valley): approved. - Ratification of a stipulation of agreement between the district and employee no. 1814 dated 04/07/2025: approved. - Athletic team mergers for 2025-26 (listed mergers: varsity modified ice hockey with Brewster, North Salem and Yorktown; girls' and boys' varsity swim with Yorktown; girls' varsity gymnastics with Henhud, John Jay Cross River, Ardsley/Pauline? [application details on file]): approved. (District noted these are renewals of annual mergers.) - Appointment of volunteer mentors (Team Tusker) for 2024-25: approved. - Acceptance of two policies for first reading (policy 2245, ex officio student member of the board; policy 8113, extreme heat condition days): approved for first reading. These will return for a second reading/possible adoption at a future meeting. - Appointment of chairperson, inspectors and election workers for the May 20 annual meeting and election: approved.

What board members said and next steps: Board members thanked the Citizens Finance Committee and staff for work during the budget process and urged the public to review the posted budget documents and attend the public hearing on May 6. Several board members noted regionalization and athletic-merger questions have circulated in the community; board members said the two topics are separate from the budget vote and encouraged residents to consult the district website or email the district for clarifying information. The superintendent and staff asked residents to submit written questions and said they would post answers on the district website when appropriate.

The board and superintendent emphasized that if voters reject the budget, the district would either resubmit for a June 17 vote or move to a contingency budget that would require cuts estimated at about $2.3 million, with personnel reductions as the largest component. The district posted a contingency-budget breakdown in the meeting materials. The board adjourned following routine closing motions.

Speakers referenced in this article - Rachel Rabinowitz, volunteer, Citizens Finance Committee; member, Somers Education Foundation (public comment; spoke about committee review of budget and capital-project materials) (first referenced at approx. 00:01:03). - Chris, superintendent of schools (presented budget slides, tax levy and rate analysis, contingent-budget options, capital-project overview) (first referenced at approx. 00:08:37). - Jimmy Gallivan, Somers High School student council representative (student-life updates; not part of the budget vote) (first referenced at approx. 00:05:05). - Board members (first names used in meeting transcript; several participated in discussion and votes): Amanda, Tom, Chad, Don, Nancy, Meharry (participated in board deliberations and votes).

Clarifying details extracted from meeting record - Adopted budget amount: $113,477,113 for fiscal year 2025-26; year-over-year change ~+$2,600,000 (2.41%). - Estimated tax levy increase: 2.63%; estimated tax rate: ~2.52 (final tax rate depends on town assessments and equalization). - Tax-bill examples presented: house assessed at $70,000 = ~$330 increase; condo assessed at $23,000 = ~$108 increase (estimates provided by superintendent). - Contingent cuts if budget defeated: approximately $2,300,000; majority from positions/staffing; other cuts possible to equipment, renovation projects, coaching and programs; detailed contingency line items in meeting materials. - Capital project size: $63,900,000; planned use of ~$1,800,000 from capital reserve; scope includes pavement, sidewalks, HVAC, water systems, fire alarms, classroom/enrichment space upgrades, playgrounds, track resurfacing, field lighting, STEM and art labs, and selective athletic lighting retrofits to LED. - Project financing: plan to time new debt with building aid; long-term bonds structured for 15 years to align with building-aid schedules; some short-term bond anticipation notes anticipated for soft costs. - Public events: campus walkthroughs May 1 (middle school and SIS campus) and May 13 (high school/Primrose campus); public budget hearing May 6; budget vote and trustee election May 20 (7 a.m.-9 p.m., Somers Middle School).

Proper names (normalized) [{"name":"Somers Central School District","type":"agency"},{"name":"Somers High School","type":"school"},{"name":"Somers Middle School","type":"school"},{"name":"Somers Intermediate School","type":"school"},{"name":"Somers Education Foundation","type":"organization"},{"name":"BOCES of Putnam, North and Westchester County","type":"organization"},{"name":"Frank Schnecker","type":"person"},{"name":"Tina Mackey","type":"person"}]

Community relevance - Geographies: Somers; Putnam County; component school districts referenced via BOCES and athletic mergers. - Funding sources: local property taxes, capital reserve ($1.8M), state building aid, bond financing and bond anticipation notes. - Impact groups: district taxpayers/residents, staff (potential contingent layoffs), students (facility and instructional-space upgrades), athletic program participants affected by mergers.

Discussion vs. decision - Discussion-only items: details of potential athletic lighting scope and some athletic facility elements (details to be finalized during design/bid process); timing of state building-aid queue (uncertain). - Directions/assignments: staff to post budget materials, schedule public walk-throughs and hearings, and respond to public questions via posted Q&A and capitalproject@somerschools.org. - Formal actions: adoption of the property tax report card, numerous consent-agenda approvals and appointments listed in the "Votes at a glance" section above.

Searchable_tags:["budget","property tax","capital project","bond","building aid","contingent budget","Somers Central School District","BOCES","athletic mergers","student board member"]

provenance:{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_62.99","local_start":0,"local_end":151,"evidence_excerpt":"Okay. Good evening, everyone. My name is Rachel Rabinowitz, and I'm here today to represent the Citizens Finance Committee. I have been a volunteer on the school district Citizens Finance Committee for several years, even before my children were old enough to attend the schools within the district.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_1614.375","local_start":0,"local_end":260,"evidence_excerpt":"Adoption of the 20 25 20 26 property tax report card resolved that upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, the Board of Education of the Summer Central School District does hereby adopt the property tax report card in the budget for the 20 25, 20 26 school year in the amount of $113,477,113 and be it further resolved that the date of the public vote on said 20 25, 26 Summer Central School District budget be set at 05/20/2025 from 7AM to 9PM at Summers Middle School.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}