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Depew board hears second budget presentation; draft 2026–27 working budget shows 6% increase
Summary
Superintendent Kings reviewed the district's expenditure-side budget for 2026–27, citing payroll increases, utilities, special-education placement costs and new debt service; the working draft shows $58,771,405 in general fund expenditures, about a 6% increase from 25–26.
At a regular meeting of the Depew Union Free School District Board of Education, Superintendent Kings presented the district's second budget update, focusing on expenditure drivers for the 2026–27 school year.
Kings said district enrollment is stable and slightly above the high estimate from the district's 10-year enrollment projection, and that the largest portion of expenditures is instructional programming and payroll. "When you take a look at the major areas that comprise payroll... rolling it is a 5.2% increase as far as the payroll protection," Kings said, describing contractual increases that affect 371 salaries funded in the general fund.
Other notable cost drivers include utilities (especially electricity rate uncertainty), special-education out-of-district placements, and debt service arising from converting a BAN to a bond for the 2021 capital project. Kings said debt that had fallen off in recent years will return in 2026–27 as new debt service and noted that offsets from aid are expected.
Kings summarized the draft working general fund budget figures: 2025–26 expenditures were $55,451,247; the draft working budget for 2026–27 was $58,771,405, a 6% increase. He said staff will continue fine-tuning the revenue side, analyze retirements and breakage, finalize BOCES budget requests in March, and return with revenue estimates and tax-cap calculations before a likely April adoption.
On state and federal context, Kings said the governor's executive budget proposes increases including a larger per-seat pre-K allocation and a 2.23% increase in foundation aid in the first-run numbers; he urged that the district will continue advocacy efforts. He also noted federal continuing-resolution timing and the importance of federal funding lines such as IDEA and Title I to district programming.
Next steps, Kings said, include a revenue deep-dive in February, bus-purchase updates and a proposed capital outlay project; the board expects a second draft in March and a potential adoption in April.
