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Berlin Central School District proposes $26.3 million budget, urges 60% approval for 3.5% levy
Summary
District presenters outlined a $26,266,000 budget with a proposed 3.5% tax levy that requires a 60% voter supermajority; administrators described measures to close a roughly $1.6 million gap and said two additional propositions would codify transportation distances and fund bus purchases.
Colleen, the district presenter, said the Berlin Central School District is proposing a $26,266,000 budget for 2025'26 and a 3.5% tax levy that would require a 60% voter supermajority to pass. "We have a 3.5 tax levy, which will require a 60% voter" approval, she said, and described the $740,000 change from the prior year as resulting in a 2.8% increase.
Colleen laid out the district's plan to close an approximate $1,600,000 shortfall: picking up about $30,000 for workers' compensation and unemployment reserve, appropriating $560,000 from ERS, and using up to $1,000,000 in unappropriated fund balance rolled from the 24'25 budget. "We will be picking up about 30,000 workers' comp, in unemployment reserve," she said, and noted that reserves are only drawn if spending reaches the levels that trigger their use.
District officials warned of volatile revenue assumptions that could affect the plan, naming four risky areas: interest rates, Medicaid reimbursement, gross receipts tied to service usage, and salary-related costs. They also cited higher insurance costs and retiree-benefit charges that shift more than $1,000,000 into the general fund.
Officials described three contingency options if voters do not approve the levy: resubmit the same budget for a June revote, submit a revised budget for a June revote, or immediately adopt a contingency budget that would limit tax collection to the current year's rate and could reduce spending by an estimated $477,000.
The proposal also includes capital outlay and a few targeted repairs. Colleen said the district hopes to resume a $100,000 annual capital outlay cycle and pointed to an emergency project at Earlene Elementary School to address water infiltration at an ADA entrance; she said the district expects about 75% building aid for that work over the following year.
Ballot materials list three propositions: Proposition 1 would authorize the budget; Proposition 2 would codify student-transportation distances beyond state default pickup radii; and Proposition 3 would fund the purchase of replacement buses. On bus funding, Colleen said the district receives about 63.1% state aid for bus purchases and uses a cyclical replacement plan to smooth taxpayer impact over multiple years.
The district urged voters to review materials and to cast ballots next week during posted polling hours. The presentation closed with staff offering to remain after the formal remarks to answer questions from attendees.
