Port Jervis school proposes 2% tax increase and plans 10-acre solar farm, superintendent says

Dr. John Bell updated the Port Jervis Common Council on the school district's 2026 budget, saying the plan totals $16 million and includes a 2% tax increase — the district's first tax increase in six years.

"There'll be a tax increase of 2%." Dr. Bell said the district has completed $160 million in capital projects over recent years with no tax impact and highlighted academic and extracurricular growth, including 32 free college courses at the high school and newly added sports such as girls gymnastics and girls wrestling, which produced a two-time state champion.

Bell told the council the district is preparing to begin construction on a 10-acre solar farm on the Vicoretti property that he said would be large enough to eliminate the district's electricity bills. "We're paying about $600,000 a year right now [for] electricity," he said, and projected costs could rise to roughly $1 million if trends continue.

In response to council questions, Bell said no student programs were cut, that some positions were reduced through attrition tied to enrollment changes, and that the district expects to pause seeking additional state-aid-eligible projects until about 2030 after having maximized state aid in prior years.

The superintendent encouraged residents to vote in the upcoming school board election and thanked Assistant Superintendent John Tim and board member Michael Whit for attending the meeting. The council did not take an immediate vote on the school budget at this meeting; Dr. Bell framed the presentation as an update and an encouragement for voter participation.