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Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District proposes 5.2% budget increase as health‑insurance costs surge
Summary
District staff presented a 2026 draft budget with a 5.2% overall increase driven largely by a 10.5% health‑insurance premium rise (about $1.8 million), a proposed tax levy at the 3.12% cap and use of roughly $3.4 million from reserves; the board was told programs will be preserved while seven positions will be left vacant through attrition.
FAYETTEVILLE-MANLIUS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT — District staff presented the program, transportation and revenue portions of the district’s draft 2026 budget, showing a 5.2% year‑over‑year increase driven principally by rising benefit costs.
Brad DeLance, who presented the program and revenue slides, said the program budget — which includes athletics, regular instruction and special education — remains the largest portion at about $87.5 million. “The program budget represents [the] largest part of the budget at about 87.5 million,” DeLance said.
Why it matters: the board was told health‑insurance premiums rose about 10.5% this year, a jump DeLance said represents roughly $1.8 million on the district’s expenditures. That single increase, combined with debt service tied to recent construction, higher energy costs and modest program growth, produced a projected net increase that the presentation said would be balanced by a mix of attrition, reserves and the property tax levy.
Key figures and tradeoffs: DeLance said the district proposes to levy at the statutory cap of 3.12 percent, which he illustrated as an increase of about $58 on a $100,000 home using prior assessment assumptions. The draft relies on using about $3.4 million in reserves and assigned fund balance to close the gap; last year the district used about $3.45 million for the same purpose.
On staffing, DeLance told the board there are seven retirement positions the district does not plan to refill, representing about $650,000 in savings, and one administrative intern position slated to be eliminated, roughly $96,000. “We didn’t fill seven positions due to attrition; that represents about $650,000,” DeLance said. He and board members emphasized those were attrition decisions based on enrollment, scheduling and caseload reviews rather than program cuts.
Board reaction and program preservation: A board member noted relief that the presentation preserves existing programs, citing the district’s continued investment in student supports. “The budget as it’s been presented is preserving 100% of the programs that this district has offered,” the board member said, noting the district funds approximately $4 million a year in mental‑health services.
Next steps: The board was given a timeline for remaining budget actions: a budget hearing (May 11), a vote (May 19) and adoption (May 20) as listed in the presentation. The board will meet again to adopt the budget and consider the BOCES administrative budget. DeLance said additional detail on assessments and equalization may alter the homeowner impact estimate.
What remains unresolved: The district’s final tax impact depends on final assessment and equalization figures and any changes in state aid. DeLance said his foundation‑aid projection assumes a modest increase (about $342,000 under a 1.7% projection) and that building aid tied to recent capital work will offset a portion of debt service, but those figures are subject to final state determinations.
The board did not take a final vote on the budget at the meeting; the administration’s presentation will be followed by a public hearing and subsequent board action on the calendar dates provided.
