Eastchester proposes $110.9 million budget, says levy increase will remain within 2% cap

Superintendent Dr. Valente told the Eastchester Union Free School District Board of Education that the district will present a proposed $110,900,000 budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and that the recommended real property tax levy would increase roughly $1.9 million while remaining within the state'mandated 2% cap.

The proposal, which Dr. Valente described as balancing program priorities with tax-rate limits, earmarks $3 million from the unappropriated fund balance to reduce next year's tax burden and increases estimated revenue from interest earnings and higher out'of'district tuition charges for students with disabilities.

Dr. Valente said the local levy, including STAR, is estimated at about $83,593,100 and that state aid is currently estimated at $17,700,000. He described the levy change this way: "Current year is 81,000,000 and change. Next year, we're going up to 83,000,000 and change. So we're looking at an increase of 1,900,000.0. That remains below. We tiptoe up to the cap, but we remain below the cap." The superintendent noted that, using a median assessed value example cited in the presentation, the typical taxpayer's bill would rise by roughly $104 (about three quarters of 1 percent) under the plan, and he repeatedly qualified revenue figures as estimates.

Why it matters: The budget funds classroom programming, staffing and expanded student…