Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Victor Central School District officials report $3.5 million budget gap, press for additional state aid
Summary
District leaders told the board that rising expenses outpace projected revenue for 2025–26, creating an estimated $3.5 million shortfall. Officials outlined personnel adjustments they say are budget-neutral, pledged no program cuts at this time and listed next procedural steps including state-budget advocacy and adoption dates.
At a Victor Central School District board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Terranova told the board the district is working to manage a projected budget shortfall for the 2025–26 school year and is continuing advocacy for increased foundation (state) aid.
"We have a way to manage our deficit for next year," Dr. Terranova said, adding the district would find the process easier if it receives increased foundation aid from the state.
The shortfall and why it matters
District finance staff told the board the budget under development shows a gap of about $3,500,000 between projected revenues and expenses for 2025–26. Christine (staff member) described the gap and explained staff plans to narrow it through continued state-aid advocacy, use of current-year contingency funds if necessary and tighter contingency planning for next year.
Dorothy D'Angelo, assistant superintendent for personnel, told the board there are no planned program or personnel cuts at this stage: "There are no projected cuts of people or programs at this time."
What officials plan to do
Administrators outlined a mix of strategies they said would reduce the gap without cutting core programs: continued state-level advocacy (the district said meetings with state legislators and the governor's office are scheduled), detailed reviews of BOCES allocations to ensure aid is maximized, and using a portion of current-year contingency if necessary. The district also said it may reduce next year’s contingency level as an interim strategy but cautioned that repeated reliance on shrinking contingency is not sustainable.
Personnel recommendations and enrollment details
Dorothy D'Angelo reviewed proposed staffing changes that the administration called largely budget-neutral because they would be paid for by identified savings:
- Net K–12 enrollment growth of 22 students, with a 23-student increase at the elementary level but notable declines in Grade 2 (–20) and Grade 3 (–36). Sixth grade increased by 47 students, shifting class-size needs up the grades. - Two full-time elementary general-education teacher FTEs would be reduced (one in second grade, one in third) to match the current class-size distribution. - Reductions by fraction of positions: 0.6 FTE in world language, 0.4 FTE in health and 0.2 FTE in technology based on course-selection trends and opportunities to share staff between buildings. - Additions: one full-time nurse at the primary school (to reach the long-term goal of two nurses in each of four large buildings), conversion of an aide to a full-time teaching assistant, and one full-time teaching assistant at the high school to support a self-contained classroom. Those additions were described as offset by the efficiency savings above. - The newly launched girls flag-football program had a one-year donor covering costs this season; to sustain the program next year the district said two coaching positions would need district funding absent continuing donations.
Budget figures and reserves (as presented)
Officials described a multi-part budget picture: projected expenditures rising faster than revenues, a modest projected state-aid increase that staff called insufficient, and a current projected gap of roughly $3.5 million. The district reported reserves of about $7.3 million and said administrators aim not to draw those reserves for operating costs.
Other items affecting the budget
- The district will present a bus-replacement proposition on the May ballot to finance purchase of six large diesel buses and two small gasoline buses; staff estimated borrowing of about $1,500,000 for those purchases. - The administration flagged rising contractual costs (including energy and health insurance) as significant budget drivers and said some line items showed double-digit increases.
Board action and next steps
Board members voted to authorize placing a bond proposition and legal notice for the district’s May 20, 2025 annual vote and election (motion carried). Administrators said they expect more precise state-aid numbers in early April and scheduled the following steps: a budget workshop update on March 20, final budget review and adoption on April 10, a budget hearing and candidate event on May 6, voter registration on May 13 and the budget vote and BOE election on May 20.
Quotes
"We have a way to manage our deficit for next year," Dr. Terranova said. Christine (staff member) told the board, "we have a $3,500,000 gap right now." Dorothy D'Angelo said, "There are no projected cuts of people or programs at this time."
Ending
Administrators said they will continue to refine the budget and press for state aid increases; they asked the board to continue advocacy with state legislators. The board scheduled further budget workshops and expects to adopt a final budget on April 10 before the May public vote.
