Saugerties officials present a budget that preserves programs and warn contingency would force deep cuts

At a May 5 budget hearing, Interim Superintendent Dr. Rohrbach and district business staff presented a proposed budget that officials said would preserve all student programs while staying within the tax cap.

"We are maintaining all programming," Dr. Rohrbach said, adding that the district serves 2,463 students and includes 613 students with disabilities. He urged voters to understand the contingency scenario required by state rules: "If we go to a contingency, it would be truly devastating to student programming."

Business presenter Mister Steiger walked the board through the tax-cap calculation and revenue assumptions, noting state aid remains uncertain because New York's state budget had not been finalized as of May 5. Using a full market-value home of $400,000 as an example, the district estimated the budget's tax impact at about $155 per year—roughly $13 a month—after applying equalization rates across the three towns in the district.

The presenters described the three-part budget framework required by NYSED: administrative, program and capital components. Steiger said roughly 81% of spending is allocated to program costs (instruction, special education, extracurriculars and transportation), about 11% to administrative costs and about 8.5% to capital. Officials emphasized that several large-percentage increases shown in the administrative component reflected reclassification of expenses to comply with state accounting guidelines, not newly created spending. "We're just reassigning those codes to match the New York State guidelines," Steiger said.

Planned additions in the proposed budget include additional teachers and teaching assistants for special education classrooms, a 0.6 FTE high-school counselor, expanded career-technology placements through BOCES, in-house McKinney-Vento transportation options and a $100,000 capital outlay for rooftop-unit repairs to improve fresh-air ventilation. Officials also cited transfer amounts to cover the cafeteria program and extended-school-year services, and noted rising property-insurance and transportation costs as drivers of expense growth.

District finance staff reported total reserves just under $12,000,000 and proposed drawing $1,100,000 from the employee retirement/other fund balance to help balance the budget while preserving programs. The presenters said the board is also studying longer-term steps—maximizing attrition, possible elementary-school restructuring and pursuing additional state and Medicaid reimbursements—to stabilize finances.

Trustees asked for clarifications about reclassified lines, BOCES tuition increases and Medicaid reimbursements for services. Trustee Timothy Wells reiterated that the proposed levy does not exceed the tax cap and encouraged voters to participate in the May 19 vote. The district reminded the public that a simple majority (50% plus one of votes cast) is required to pass the budget and that, if the budget fails, the board could either hold a revote (scheduled for June 16) or adopt a contingency budget that would revert the levy to the prior year level and restrict many non-mandated services and uses of district facilities.

The board scheduled no formal vote on the budget at the hearing; the budget vote and trustee election are set for May 19 at the junior high school. Officials urged residents to review the budget pamphlet being distributed and to contact district staff or board trustees with questions before the vote.