Cohoes City School District proposes 2024–25 budget with modest tax increase; public vote set for May 21

The Cohoes City School District on April 24 presented a proposed 2024–25 budget that district staff said would raise the tax levy and increase the district tax rate by about $0.38.

Unidentified Speaker 1, while introducing the proposal, said the district’s proposed levy is "$18,000,001.00" and that the tax-rate change would amount to "under $30 for the year, less than $3 a month" for a home assessed at $150,000. The speaker noted those estimates depend on state STAR (school tax relief) assumptions, which are set outside the district.

The budget presentation included a reclassification of roughly $230,000 in expenditures into instruction from operations after the district finalized prior commitments, according to the presenter. Program costs — primarily salaries and benefits for instructional staff and curriculum work — were described as the bulk of spending; staff cited an 82.2% program share in the proposal.

Unidentified Speaker 3 explained the consequences if voters reject the budget: the levy would remain unchanged and the district would need about $265,000 in cuts. "Unfortunately all the fun stuff goes away," the speaker said, listing likely reductions to district-wide arts and enrichment programs, field trips, non–health-and-safety building repairs, and some professional development.

Next procedural steps were announced: a public hearing on May 8 and the budget vote on May 21. Polling places will be the district’s three elementary schools, with polls open from noon to 9 p.m. The board also noted that two board seats are on the ballot for three-year terms and that candidate petitions are due May 1 at 5 p.m.

District staff said they are pursuing grant options (including Title grants and a resource-allocation grant) to expand academic-intervention services and to support arts and extra-curricular programming where possible. The presentation also flagged potential scheduling efficiencies to expand year-long arts and music offerings with minimal additional staffing.

The meeting closed the public portion of the agenda after routine acknowledgements of maintenance and facilities work; the board later moved into an executive session to discuss personnel and negotiations.

The board’s budget newsletter and the property tax report card were in draft form and expected to be finalized and mailed to residents in late April or early May.