Huntington BOE outlines $123.7 million levy limit, previews $2.1M capital proposition and budget timeline

The Huntington Union Free School District Board of Education reviewed the tax-levy limit and capital priorities for the 2026–27 budget cycle at its Feb. 9 regular meeting.

Dr. Harris, who led the finance presentation, said the district’s computed allowable tax levy for 2026–27 is $123,748,530 and explained the three “buckets” that shape the budget picture: the total levy, the tax rate and the allowable levy growth factor. "You have the tax levy, which is the total taxpayer monies that are collected," Dr. Harris said, noting the allowable-levy growth factor is the lesser of 2% or inflation and that, given recent CPI, the 2% cap has been operative.

The presentation described how the state’s formula and local factors — including PILOTs (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) and a district carryover — alter the calculation. Dr. Harris said Huntington benefits from an available carryover tied to its lack of building debt and estimated that carryover at roughly $527,780. He outlined two budget paths: propose a budget at or below the computed levy (requiring a simple majority, 50% plus one) or propose a levy above that figure (requiring a 60% supermajority vote and eliminating eligibility for certain tax rebates).

The administration reviewed state-aid elements that inform local planning. Dr. Harris summarized the executive budget’s statewide school-aid increases and noted Huntington’s estimated 1% increase in foundation aid, which he put at about $218,000 for the district — an amount he said is modest given the district’s overall budget and rising costs such as transportation and benefits.

Dr. Harris also discussed Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) proposals in the executive budget, noting the plan to raise available per-pupil UPK allocations in the proposal and the programmatic questions that would follow (class size, infrastructure and how districts would use funds if the state ties them to per-pupil slots).

On capital projects, the board previewed Proposition 2 for the May 2027 ballot at approximately $2.1 million. The package includes items drawn from the district building-condition survey and prior-vote lists: Woodhall amphitheater (to improve ADA access and field access), high-school student-restroom renovations to return nonfunctional spaces to service, fire-alarm and fire-rated partition work, and electrical-subpanel upgrades. Dr. Harris told the board these projects are generally eligible for building aid (the district’s stated building-aid percentage is about 37.2%), but timing and final costs depend on SED approvals, escalation estimates and bid outcomes.

Administration noted capital-reserve use to date (funds out $3.6 million; funds in $2.5 million since 2011) and said some items remain awaiting SED project-manager signatures or final design estimates (for example, Findlay library renovations and the innovation-lab equipment order). Dr. Harris also warned that some aids and prior‑year claims owed to districts by the state are settled in later budget cycles, which can affect cash flow.

Next steps and deadlines outlined by the administration include the district’s March 1 tax-levy limit submission, a March 9 central-administration budget presentation, additional budget workshops in March and a budget hearing on May 11 with the public vote scheduled for May 19.

The board did not take a final vote on a budget figure at the Feb. 9 meeting; the presentation set the policy choices and timeline the board will use as it develops the 2026–27 proposition materials and voter language.

Speakers quoted or paraphrased in this report come from the board meeting transcript and were limited to those who spoke at the meeting.