Cornwall Central School District places three-part $80M capital bond before voters on May 19

A presenter for the Cornwall Central School District outlined a three-part capital project bond that would invest more than $80 million across repairs, new classrooms and athletic facilities, and that will appear as three separate yes-or-no questions on the May 19 ballot.

The district said Proposition 1, the largest component at just over $44 million, is focused on infrastructure and safety upgrades and is "specifically designed to have no additional tax impact," while Propositions 2 and 3 would raise local taxes if approved.

The proposal breaks down into three distinct components. Proposition 1, described by the presenter as the plan's foundation, would fund districtwide work including upgraded fire alarms and public-address systems, a redesigned parent drop-off loop and cafeteria and kitchen expansion at the middle school, classroom modernizations and auditorium air conditioning at elementary schools, new roofing and paving, a new maintenance garage and ADA accessibility improvements at the district office.

"This whole proposition ... is specifically designed to have no additional tax impact," the presenter said, emphasizing the district's intent that Prop 1 be tax-neutral.

Proposition 2, at about $21 million, is aimed at adding classroom capacity where enrollment pressures are greatest: restrooms and classrooms at the middle school, an eight-classroom two-story addition at Cornwall Elementary, and converting former kitchen space at Cornwall-on-Hudson into classrooms.

The presenter noted a strict dependency: the district will only move forward with Prop 2 if voters first approve Prop 1. "The district needs to get the thumbs up for the foundational repairs in Prop 1 before it can even think about building brand new additions," the presenter said.

Proposition 3, for roughly $14.5 million, targets athletic upgrades at Cornwall Central High School — moving the baseball and softball fields, installing synthetic turf, adding a multi-sport field and addressing longstanding drainage problems. The presenter described Prop 3 as an optional final layer that would require approval of both Prop 1 and Prop 2 before proceeding.

On tax impact, the district provided an example for a home with a $400,000 taxable assessed value: passage of Proposition 2 alone would add about $240 per year to that household’s tax bill; approval of all three propositions would increase that example household's tax by roughly $540 per year. The presentation reiterated that Proposition 1 is budgeted to be tax-neutral.

Voters will see three separate ballot propositions on May 19. The district explained the sequential mechanics: Prop 1 must pass for Prop 2 to be enacted, and Prop 2 must pass for Prop 3 to move forward. For more details on specific scope, timing and design plans, the presenter directed residents to the district’s capital projects page at cornwallschools.com/capital.

The May 19 vote will determine whether the district can proceed with the tax-neutral repairs that the district says are required, and whether it can then add classroom space and athletic upgrades contingent on those approvals.