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Middle Country board unanimously adopts $315 million 2026–27 budget, approves property‑tax exemptions
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Summary
The Middle Country Central School District Board of Education approved a $315,000,000 budget for 2026–27 and unanimously passed related administrative items including the property‑tax report card and two real‑property tax‑exemption resolutions for surviving spouses of fallen police and volunteer emergency personnel.
The Middle Country Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a $315,000,000 proposed budget for the 2026–27 school year at its regular meeting, carrying the measure by a 9–0 roll‑call vote.
Board President Miss Shrock said the budget proposal addresses rising costs while remaining within the district's allowable tax levy. The plan reflects a 3.52% increase in expenditures from the prior year, a proposed tax‑levy increase of 2.33% and an estimated impact of about $13 per month for the average homeowner using the district’s referenced assessed‑value example. Miss Shrock noted the district remained in the comptroller’s “no designation” fiscal‑stress category while continuing to reduce reserve balances that have fallen 46% since 2018.
The board also approved the district’s property‑tax report card (roll call required) and unanimously passed two resolutions to authorize school‑tax exemptions under New York Real Property Tax Law. One resolution aligns district policy with RPTL §471 to extend exemptions for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty; the other implements exemptions described in RPTL §466‑a for surviving spouses of members of incorporated volunteer fire companies, volunteer fire departments and incorporated volunteer ambulance services.
During presentation of the budget, trustees highlighted major cost drivers: health‑insurance costs budgeted at about $52.7 million and special‑education costs budgeted at about $52.5 million, together representing roughly one‑third of the proposed budget. Board materials shown at the meeting also broke the $315 million into components, reporting capital at about 14% and administrative costs at about 7.5%, with roughly 77% directed to programming.
Officials cautioned that a rejected budget would force a contingent budget scenario that could reduce or eliminate non‑mandated programs; the board described the contingency gap at roughly $3.8 million. The district encouraged voters to use the online tax‑impact calculator and reminded residents that the public budget vote and board election are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The board completed the roll‑call votes with the district clerk reading trustee responses in alphabetical order; the clerk announced both measures carried unanimously, 9–0.
