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Schenectady board hears $310 million preliminary budget, CFO says taxes likely unchanged; board approves personnel resolution after executive session
Summary
CFO Terry presented a preliminary $310 million budget, citing increased state and BOCES aid and use of fund balance; the board discussed voter-facing communications about May propositions. After executive session the board approved a resolution authorizing personnel actions including four terminations.
The Schenectady City School District board received a preliminary budget briefing and voted on a personnel resolution at its March 11 meeting.
CFO Terry delivered the budget overview, describing a proposed total budget of about $310,000,000 for 2026-27. Terry said the district is still operating with the governor’s state aid run and that the state budget had not been enacted; she reported a projected tax-rate calculation around 3.06 percent and said the district expects to use fund balance and vacancy savings to avoid a tax increase at this stage. "As of now, I don't think we will have to increase taxes because we are able to use a significant amount of fund balance," Terry said.
Terry highlighted several items that will require more detail before the April budget adoption: the exact BOCES service commitments and the number and cost of out-of-district special-education placements; she said the district was still finalizing commitments for building leases and capital propositions that may appear on the May ballot. Board members pressed for plain-language voter materials explaining any propositions (for example, a proposed State Street facility proposition and a Catalina Street proposition described in the presentation) so community members can understand what they will be asked to approve.
Key fiscal details cited during the presentation included an estimated $4 million in one-time fund-balance additions from prior-year audit adjustments and $7–8 million of budgeted vacancy savings, which the CFO said the district can draw on to maintain programs without raising taxes. The CFO also warned of rising health-insurance costs and ongoing contract negotiations with bargaining units that could affect final numbers.
After budget discussion the board moved into executive session to discuss a personnel matter. When the board returned to open session it considered a superintendent-recommended resolution to discontinue employment of certain probationary employees. The board approved the resolution. The chair summarized the personnel actions as including one extension, one opposed action and three terminations and announced that four termination actions were approved under the resolution; the meeting then adjourned.
The board will receive updated budget detail and slides at a future meeting ahead of the district’s May budget vote and board elections.
