Putnam Valley Schools Eye 1.98% Tax Levy Increase

By Holly Crocco

The Putnam Valley Central School District is considering a $65.2 million budget for the 2026-27 school year, which represents a 3 percent budget-to-budget increase and results in a 1.98 percent tax levy hike.

“The gross levy change in dollars means that we get to add $844,363 to the budget (a total tax levy of $43.4 million),” said Dr. Grace Chan, assistant superintendent of business administration, at the March 12 Putnam Valley School Board meeting. “This is usually my first staring point because this is the money that we’re going to get from the taxpayers to support the budget.”

Key drivers shaping the budget are contractual and salary obligations.

“We’re in negotiations this year with the teachers’ union,” explained Chan. “We have employe health insurance and state-mandated benefits that do increase, like the ERS (Employee’ Retirement Systems) and TRS (Teachers’ Retirement System).”

Transportation and operational overhead costs, as well as essential instructional program needs and updates are also driving the budget, as well as a continued investment in comprehensive student services.

According to Chan, the projected enrollment for the next school year is 520 students in the high school, 479 in the middle school, and 532 in the elementary school.

When it comes to revenue, state aid is projected to increase about $773,000 to $17.8 million, or 4.72 percent, “which is not absorbent, but I’m always glad when they don’t reduce it,” said Chan.

About $1.8 million will come in the form of “other local revenue,” which includes tuition from the Garrison Union Free School District for kids attending Putnam Valley High School (28 percent, or $517,790 million), as well as interest and earnings, and other miscellaneous streams.

A total of $798,610 will be transferred from debt service and capital projects, and $1.3 million in fund balance/reserves will be used.

Chan explained that $49.3 million of the budget goes into programs, with $9.1 million geared toward capital investments, and $6.7 million for administrative costs. “Seventy-six percent of our money goes into programs,” she said.

Instructional costs make up 52 percent of the budget ($33.5 million), transportation makes up 7 percent, general support makes up 10 percent, and “undistributed” (debt service, benefits, insurances) makes up 29 percent.

Another way to look at it, is that 71 percent of the budget ($45.9 million) goes toward salaries and benefits, with the remaining 29 percent funding the operations, special education, debt services, technology, and transportation lines.

“We’re in the business of teaching kids, and teachers are our commodities,” said Chen.

The budget notes a “transfer to capital” that includes the installation of outdoor fitness equipment, which the district received a $68,000 grant to build. Other items in that line include various projects at the high school/middle school campus, such as a handicap parking lot and driveway, fencing, bleacher refurbishment, LED lights for the turf, a pedestrian walkway and new stairs, and softball and baseball batting cages.

Inside the high school, a weight room/dance studio renovation is planned, as well as new bleachers, basketball hoops, floor refinishing, new wall pads, and scoreboards in the gymnasium, and moving the student support suite to the second floor.

School Board Trustee Sam Oliverio Jr., praised the proposed spending plan.

“The district, historically, has never broken the (state-mandated) tax cap since the cap has been instituted, and this carries on that tradition – and that’s tough to do with ever-increasing costs,” he said. “I don’t know what the current circumstances nationally are going to do. We know fuel costs are shooting up right now. A barrel of oil is now $100 as compared to just two weeks ago it was about $62/$63.”

Chen pointed to the “operations” line in the budget, which shows a 3 percent increase ($430,109), to anticipate higher costs next year.

“I’m pleased to see that because that’s anticipating what very well may happen, unless the conflict ceases soon,” said Oliverio.

Chen also noted that administrators in the special education department found some wiggle room and were able to reduce expenses for next year.

Trustee Crystal Hernandez said such a move lessens the increase in the operations budget.

“I’ve noticed in the past few years that, year by year the needs vary, and sometimes it’s one department that gives up a little bit to give up to a different department, and sometimes the favor is returned the next year when its needed,” she said. “I really enjoy that you and your team take a really close look at where we can save, so we can be smart at where we have to spend, and that we’re projecting those expenses ahead of time so that we’re not in a pickle that we can’t handle later on in the year. It’s very responsible.”

The school budget vote will take place May 19. For more information on the budget, and the vote, visit httsp://pvcsd.org/index.php/district/boe/budget.