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Business office flags key cost drivers and presents levy-limit calculation ahead of March budget workshops
Summary
The business official outlined major 2025–26 budget drivers (insurance, out-of-district special-education, BOCES costs, transportation and staffing), reported an adjusted executive-aid figure for the district (~$8,377,359), and reviewed a tax-cap (levy-limit) calculation that produced a maximum levy figure and an allowable percentage increase to guide upcoming draft budgets and public workshops.
The district's business official briefed the board on budget drivers for the coming fiscal year and walked through the tax-cap calculation the board will submit to the state in early March.
Mr. Bastian identified health-insurance premium increases, higher out-of-district special-education costs, BOCES service cost increases, greater participation in college coursework, transportation needs (including additional bus purchase and staffing), and new curriculum and professional-development costs for the reading initiative as primary expense drivers for the 2025–26 budget. He also warned that federal grant funding is in flux and said a potential reduction in federal grant aid (estimated between $350,000 and $400,000) could require embedding those costs into the general fund.
In the state-aid discussion, Mr. Bastian said the governor—4s executive-aid run shows a $124,000 increase in foundation aid for the district and an adjusted executive-aid figure of approximately $8,377,359. He cautioned the legislature may not improve the governor's run and urged conservative planning.
On the tax-cap calculation (levy limit), the business office presented the allowable-levy computation for 2025–26 including a capital tax-levy exclusion of $171,000, producing an illustrative levy limit of $10,913,881. The district's prior-year actual levy was cited at about $10,000,003; the allowable increase in levy dollars was presented as $587,634 (approximately 5.69%). Mr. Bastian said the tax-cap calculation will be submitted to the Office of the State Comptroller by March 1 and that the district will review draft budgets in two workshops (March 5 and March 19) before finalizing recommendations.
Next steps: the business office will submit the tax-cap calculation to the State Comptroller, produce draft budget documents for the board's March 5 workshop, and continue to monitor state and federal aid developments.
