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Yorktown opens public hearing on $126.64 million budget; vote set for May 19
Summary
The board read the 2026–27 budget proposition of $126,640,000 and announced three board-seat vacancies and candidates. The superintendent warned state aid is unsettled and may affect the district’s final figures; public comment urged stronger special-education staffing.
The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education opened a public hearing on May 11 to present the 2026–27 proposed budget and the ballot propositions that will appear to voters on May 19.
The proposition read aloud lists an annual school district budget for 2026–27 in the amount of $126,640,000 and the requisite portion to be raised by taxation on the district’s taxable property. The board also announced three board-seat vacancies (two full three-year terms from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029, and one vacancy through June 30, 2027) and named four candidates who will appear on the ballot: Adam McDonald, Mike Mñani, Jacqueline Guino and Catalina Tindle.
Superintendent Dr. Hatter said the district may proceed to the budget vote without a finalized New York State budget and cautioned that the state aid allocation is not yet known, which creates uncertainty for the district’s final revenue picture. The board reminded voters that the budget vote is scheduled for May 19, 2026, with polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at French Hill School (2051 Baldwin Road) and noted the legally required budget newsletter is available on the district website and will be mailed to residents.
During the public-comment portion of the hearing, Kathleen De Monaco, a Yorktown parent and former Committee on Special Education chair, urged the board to treat special-education staffing and training as an urgent priority. "When districts fail to invest properly in trained, supported special education staff, the result is predictable," she said, warning that underinvestment leads to IEPs not implemented with fidelity, staff burnout and increased legal and placement costs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. De Monaco asked the board to allocate dedicated funding for special-education training and to prioritize hiring and retaining certified special-education staff, including one-to-one certified teaching assistants.
The hearing was opened and then closed by motion; the board will present the proposition to voters at the May 19 vote.
No formal changes to the budget were taken at the meeting; the board's procedural steps keep the proposition on the ballot pending voter action.
