Eden board adopts $39.9M budget, plans reserve use and bus proposition

The Eden Central School District Board of Education on April 20 approved a $39,921,020 budget for the 2026–27 school year, voting in favor of a plan that uses approximately $2.06 million from reserves and allows a tax levy increase up to the legal cap of 2.52%.

"We are planning a budget without really having a full understanding of what our state aid is," said Mrs. May, the district's budget presenter, noting that the state budget had not been signed and the district was operating under budget extenders. She said the district expects an overall state-aid decrease of roughly $800,000, driven chiefly by a drop in building aid of about $900,000.

Board discussion focused on reserves, pension pressures and trade-offs between services and tax impacts. "Spending money from reserves is a short term solution to what could very well be a long term problem," said a board member who identified himself as a financial adviser, urging fiscal caution and noting the district's limited options beyond the tax cap.

The board also approved three propositions to go to voters: the general fund expenditure budget (the $39,921,020 figure), a capital-reserve-funded bus purchase of $587,648 (four diesel buses paid from the district's capital reserve, with no direct taxpayer impact), and creation of a new capital reserve to fund future vehicle and equipment purchases. Mrs. May said the district can seek temporary waivers that would allow diesel purchases for a limited time but must meet a full conversion to electric fleet requirements by 2035.

With adoption complete, the property tax report card and public budget document were approved for publication and the district set public hearing and vote dates: a budget hearing on May 11 and the budget vote on May 19.