Unadilla Valley Central School District will present a $27.6 million proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year to voters on Tuesday, May 20.
The fiscal plan includes an overall 8.92 percent increase in expenditures - or $2.3 million - from the current year. However, $1.4 million of that increase is due to a Bond Anticipation Note (BAN) being used to fund the ongoing capital project. This $1.4 million is being funded through state building project aid - not via the tax levy. When these funds are removed from the budget, the actual year-to-year increase in operating expenses would be 3.38 percent.
Two board of education seats will also be on the ballot, along with a proposition to lease three school buses. These buses would be standard, non-electric buses. A proposition to help fund the South New Berlin Library will also be up for approval. Voting is scheduled from noon to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, May 20, in Storm Alley at the district office entrance of the school building.
Under state law, a school district’s budget must be balanced. To accomplish this, the district is proposing a tax levy increase of 2.45 percent and is budgeting for a 13.44 percent increase in overall state aid. This boost in state aid includes a projected 5.25 percent increase in Foundation Aid, which is the largest category of state aid, as well as the increases in building project aid and expense-driven aids.
The proposed 2.45 percent change in the tax levy meets the state’s tax levy limit. In dollars, the tax levy would increase by $121,401 to be spread across all taxable parcels in the district, based on assessments and equalization rates in individual towns. These rates are set in the summer and will vary from town to town.
“Under this budget proposal, Unadilla Valley will maintain all current programming and staffing levels. We are planning for an additional Pre-K classroom beyond the two we currently have, which is a good sign for district enrollment,” Superintendent Brenton Taylor said. “There continue to be uncertainties with both the state financial landscape, as well as federal education funding. However, our board of education and leadership team has worked hard to develop a budget that takes these uncertainties into account, helps us to continue strengthening our programs, and accounts for the financial burdens our taxpayers face.”
A potential partnership with the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office to enhance security through an increased law enforcement presence is also within the budget. This partnership would be in addition to the district’s full-time school resource officer.
“It’s a changing world, and collaborations with our community partners will help us to continue to focus on the safety of our school community and build on our current efforts,” Mr. Taylor said.
One of the biggest areas of fiscal pressure on the district are contractual obligations, salaries and benefits. Salaries and wages are expected to increase by $314,566. Costs for BOCES services and special education programs are also rising by about $500,000.
Tax Levy Limit
The tax levy limit, while sometimes referred to as a “2 percent tax cap,” is set through a state-mandated formula and will often be higher or lower than 2 percent based on the individual circumstances of each district. It is a unique figure for each school district. For the 2025-26 school year, Unadilla Valley’s tax levy limit is 2.45 percent. The board of education is choosing to present a budget that matches this limit to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students. Proposed school budgets at or below the tax levy limit only need a simple majority to pass. Those that are above the limit need a supermajority vote of 60 percent plus one vote.
Revenues and Expenditures
Under the budget proposal, 18 cents of every dollar projected to be spent by the district would come from property taxes. The bulk of the district’s funding - 73 cents of every dollar - would come from state aid. The remainder is derived from reserves, fund balances and other items, such as interest on the district’s accounts and tuition paid by other districts for special education students enrolled in Unadilla Valley programs.
Board of Education Election
There will be two open seats on the board of education. They include seats currently held by Tammie Emrich and Linda Tuller. Emrich is choosing to not run for re-election, while Tuller is seeking another term. Samantha Kemnah is also running. The top two vote-getters are elected to three-year terms.
Capital Outlay Project
The district is including within the proposed budget a $100,000 Capital Outlay Project for internal door upgrades within the school building.
Propositions
A proposition is on the ballot to authorize the lease of three school buses at a maximum estimated total annual cost not to exceed $100,000 for each of five years. The lease would be re-imbursible by state aid at a rate of 90 percent.
New York State law allows public libraries to use the occasion of a school budget vote to seek public funding. The South New Berlin Library is seeking a total tax levy of $54,590, which is a $1,590 increase from the current year. The library operates independently from the school district, and New York State law allows for public libraries to use the occasion of school budget votes to seek funding through a separate proposition.
There is a proposition on the ballot that if passed would authorize the creation of a Capital Reserve Fund with the ultimate amount of $10 million. The fund would be established using a variety of potential sources, including non-appropriated general fund balances from the current year.
A public hearing on the budget proposal will be held immediately following the 6 p.m. regular meeting of the board of education on Tuesday, May 6.