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Watertown board holds public budget hearing for $112 million proposal; administrators point to rising benefits and special education costs
Summary
At a public hearing, Watertown City School District officials laid out a $112,000,000 proposed budget with a 2.55% tax‑levy increase, citing a 20% rise in health‑insurance costs, growing special‑education placements and utility and transportation expenses. Administrators plan to draw down about $17 million in unassigned fund balance to balance next year’s budget.
Watertown, N.Y. — District leaders on the Watertown City School District opened a public budget hearing to explain a $112,000,000 spending plan that would raise the district tax levy by 2.55%, the cap under state rules, and go to voters May 19.
Superintendent Dr. Larry Schmidle and administrators told the board and members of the public the bulk of the proposed increase stems from non‑discretionary costs: a roughly 20% jump in health‑insurance premiums (about $6.3 million), rising special‑education placements driven by federal mandates, higher liability and utility costs and legacy benefits tied to retirements. Salaries overall are budgeted to increase by about $800,000 to $51.9 million, with a $3.9 million reallocation into special‑education salaries to meet Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) maintenance‑of‑effort requirements.
Administrators said the district will use multiple revenue sources to balance the books: foundation and building aid (state), property tax revenue, local receipts and reserves. They noted a recent state enrollment adjustment that cost the district about $785,000 tied to roughly 62 students and a drop in building aid of about $2.5 million as prior projects rolled off. To balance the proposed spending the administration plans to draw approximately $17,000,000 from the district’s unassigned fund balance, reducing that reserve from about 22.27% of the budget down toward 14% while still contributing $1,000,000 to the capital reserve.
Officials described the contingency budget option if voters reject the proposal: no increase in the tax levy but significant program and purchase restrictions (no new equipment, capital outlay or new staffing except federally mandated positions), which would not eliminate fixed cost pressures such as insurance. The administration emphasized it did not plan layoffs and instead would manage staffing through attrition where possible.
Public comment at the hearing included Mandy Bird, who identified herself as CEO of a community early‑education provider, urging the district to direct more local dollars to community‑based UPK providers. Bird said per‑pupil funding that providers receive has fallen over time (she cited a drop from $12,000 in 2015 to roughly $8,700 for four‑year‑olds and $7,100 for three‑year‑olds) while operating costs and staffing expenses rose; she questioned why the district can add busing for UPK students without increasing provider administrative rates.
The board did not take a vote on the budget at the meeting; the public vote is scheduled for May 19. Administrators also reviewed other agenda business including three open board seats, an energy performance contract proposal and planned capital work under the district’s $110 million project. Consent‑agenda personnel and donation items were approved by voice vote during the same meeting.
The district repeatedly cautioned that some revenue estimates (transportation aid, certain state aid lines and BOCES aid) remain provisional until state aid runs are finalized later in the year. Officials said they will continue to monitor state budget changes and will update the public as numbers are finalized.
