West Seneca board approves $170 million budget package for May 19 vote; levy capped at 2.23%

The West Seneca Central School District Board of Education voted to put a proposed $170 million budget to a public vote on May 19, authorizing a tax levy cap of 2.23% and scheduling a formal public hearing on May 12.

Superintendent Dr. Krueger told trustees the district is working with conservative revenue estimates because New York’s state budget has not been finalized. "We will have our formal public hearing of the budget on May 12th," she said, adding that the district is still awaiting final state aid figures and will set final tax rates in August once equalization rates and assessments are published.

Why it matters: the board’s action moves the district’s spending plan to voters while key numbers — equalization rates and assessments that determine individual household tax bills — remain unavailable. Business office staff said they expect tentative assessments and equalization rates by late May, with final tax rates set in August.

Board members pressed for clearer, household-level examples during a prolonged question-and-answer period. The administration repeated that the 2.23% figure is the maximum levy the board would ask voters to approve, not a direct 2.23% increase on each homeowner’s tax bill. "That is the maximum that we could ask voters to support on May 19th," Dr. Krueger said. Business office staff added, "We will have a better idea by May as to what that amount will be because we'll get tentative assessments and tentative equalization rates sometime towards the end of this month or early in May," according to Will, a member of the business office.

The budget includes an increase in special-education costs and tuition, including a roughly $500,000 increase in handicapped programs and related services and a rise in BOCES tuition lines to support out-of-district and in-district placements that have grown in recent years. Administration noted the district now employs more than 140 teacher aides to respond to high-need classrooms.

Capital and bus propositions: the district plans capital outlay work that would go to voters May 19 and is also asking to replace buses. The proposed bus purchase would include four 64-passenger buses plus a wheelchair-accessible 64-passenger bus, with an estimated total of $898,459 reflected in the budget.

Contingency planning: Dr. Krueger said if voters reject the budget, the board could either run a second vote or immediately adopt a contingent budget with roughly $1.6 million in reductions affecting capital outlay projects (including planned exterior-door replacement at Northwood Elementary), equipment and certain administrative and instructional expenditures.

Board reaction and vote: Trustees debated the district’s repeated use of reserves to balance budgets and the cumulative tax effects of incremental levy increases. "Year after year we're telling the public, 'hey, we need more money from you,' but we also have to pull it out of our rainy-day account," one trustee said, explaining his decision not to support the proposed package. After discussion, the board approved sending the budget to voters in a roll-call vote that passed 6–1.

Next steps: The district will hold the public hearing May 12 for voters to ask questions, and the annual budget vote is scheduled for May 19. Administration said it will update the community as assessment and equalization data arrive and will present a final tax-rate calculation in August when those numbers are finalized.