Scotia‑Glenville officials present $69.2 million 2025–26 draft budget; board asked to identify cuts to meet tax‑levy cap

Superintendent Susan Schwartz and district business staff presented a first‑draft $69.2 million budget for 2025–26 and warned the spending plan would increase roughly $4.1 million, or 6.33 percent, compared with the current year. The presentation at the board meeting focused on major cost drivers — rising health insurance and specialty drug costs, increased special‑education tuition, and the scheduled end of several payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑tax (PILOT) agreements — and asked trustees to identify negotiables and nonnegotiables as they work to meet the state tax‑levy cap.

"So that'll give you sort of the big‑picture start," Superintendent Susan Schwartz said as she opened the budget discussion and asked board members to ‘‘always keep our kids at the center of your thoughts.’’

Drew, the district staff member who presented the fiscal numbers, said the district is "looking at a $69,200,000 spend for 25‑26, or going up by $4,116,000 or 6.33% increase." He attributed most of the gap to a handful of line items: health and dental costs, a spike in specialty drug spending for the district's self‑insured Highmark plan, and higher special‑education tuition from new out‑of‑district placements.

Drew told the board that health and dental costs are a major driver, with an…