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Central Square board holds required budget hearing as district proposes 6.86% tax-levy increase
Summary
At its annual budget public hearing, the Central Square Central School District presented a balanced budget proposal that uses $3 million in fund balance, projects a 5.41% overall spending increase and a 6.86% tax-levy increase; three ballot propositions were also outlined.
The Central Square Central School District Board of Education opened its required annual budget public hearing and laid out a proposed 2025–26 budget that includes a 6.86% increase in the tax levy and a 5.41% increase in spending.
"So tonight is our required annual budget public hearing," said Maureen Ladd, the district's business manager, who walked the board and attendees through the timeline to next Tuesday's vote and the state rules that govern the hearing. Ladd said the proposal relies on two principal revenue sources — state aid and the property tax levy — and that the district plans to apply $3,000,000 of fund balance and expects about $5,000,000 in other miscellaneous revenues.
Ladd described the required three-category budget presentation (program, administrative, capital) and said salary and benefits make up roughly 75% of the district's expenditures, with capital at about 16% and administrative costs at about 9%. She explained the difference between levy and rate, noting that town assessments and New York State equalization factors (outside the district's control) affect the tax rate residents actually pay.
"On a $100,000 home, the 6.86% is essentially $92 per 100,000," Ladd said, and she offered a worked example earlier in the hearing that a $200,000 house would see an approximate $182 impact under the levy change as presented.
The board also previewed three ballot propositions that will appear with the school budget: Proposition 1 (the district budget), Proposition 2 (a transportation vehicle purchase package consisting of diesel buses only; no electric buses are in this package), and Proposition 3 (a separate library tax proposition that would increase library taxes, not district revenues).
The hearing included questions and clarifications, but no members of the public spoke when the floor opened for public comment. The board closed the public hearing and will move the budget and propositions to the voter ballot next Tuesday.
