Mahopac Schools Budget Approved During Revote

By Holly Crocco

During a June 17 revote, residents of the Mahopac Central School District approved the 2025-26 budget by a tally of 1,498 to 610.

After the original proposed budget of $145 million was voted down by residents 1,248 to 1,189 on May 20, the Mahopac School Board readopted the original budget proposal, which reflects a 1.89 percent increase over the current year’s budget.

However, through the use of $955,000 in additional state aid received after the initial adoption (due to the delayed New York State budget) and the use of nearly $3.9 million from the district’s appropriated fund balance, the tax levy increase was reduced to 0 – meaning there will be no increase in the total amount of local property taxes to support next year’s school budget.

The original proposal came with a 1 percent tax levy increase.

The approval means the district will not have to default to a contingency budget, which only consists of teachers’ salaries and “other contingent expenses” subject to a cap on the administrative portion of the budget, with no increase in the tax levy over the prior year. Contingency budgets usually exclude equipment, public use of school buildings and grounds, nonessential maintenance, capital expenditures, and consultant services. 

The district was not able to place a proposition to establish a capital reserve fund back on the ballot after it was voted down in May. This would have been used to fund districtwide improvements not to exceed $10 million over 10 years, with money transferred from current or future unassigned and unexpended fund balance and excess monies in the tax certiorari reserve fund.

Therefore, district administration recommends the school board consider using proceeds from the sale of property to be placed in a tax reduction reserve, or place $5 million that is anticipated as excess fund balance from this year’s budget due to tax certiorari overfunding in reserves.

A proposition to allow the district to purchase school buses was approved during the May vote.

Elected to the school board in May were Kyle Potter, Lucy Massafra, and Nicole Iacono.