Schoharie Central School District residents will vote on a $29.8 million proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year that maintains all programming.
The fiscal plan has an overall increase of 5.24 percent – or $1.5 million – from the current year. Under the fiscal plan, which will be voted on by district residents from noon to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, May 19, the tax levy would change by 2.95 percent. This is below the state mandated tax levy limit, or “tax cap,” and equates to an additional $264,248 being spread out among all taxable parcels in the entire district. The tax levy is the overall amount raised throughout the entire district. The tax levy increase is below the current 3.26 percent inflation rate.
Voters will also select two members of the Schoharie CSD Board of Education; weigh in on a capital project; decide on a school bus purchase proposition and weigh in on a proposition to support the Schoharie Free Library. Voting on May 19 will be held in the hallway outside of the Jr./Sr. High School gym, which can be accessed by the set of doors there.
A projected increase in overall New York State school aid over what was budgeted for in the current year will help allow the district to maintain student academic services and support, while limiting the overall local tax burden. State aid accounts for about 75 cents of every dollar spent by Schoharie CSD. Foundation Aid, the largest category of state aid, would increase by 2.88 percent – or $248,000. Overall in New York State, the year-to-year increase in Foundation Aid is projected to be 3.04 percent – which is the lowest year-to-year increase in recent years.
“We’re fortunate that we have not had to make staffing or programming cuts,” Superintendent David M. Blanchard said. “We do see significant constriction in state funding going forward into future years.The development of the new Amazon warehouse is a positive in terms of future budgets as the site willl be on the tax roll.”
Pressures on the proposed budget include health insurance costs, debt service payments and out-placed students that the district pays tuition for. The district has seen a 40 percent increase over the last three years in students who have moved here and who are in need of ouplaced-special education services.
“Making sure students are getting what they need does come at a high cost,” Mr. Blanchard said.
Initiatives undertaken previously or planned through the capital project on the ballot are projected to ease operating expenses and increase energy efficiency. The district also continually looks at ways to make overall operations more efficient.
“The solar field installed as part of the Energy Performance Project is coming online this spring and savings related to that will be beneficial in the next school year and beyond,” Mr. Blanchard said.
While the energy market continues to be volatile, savings from the solar field are expected to be from $60,000 to $80,000 annually.
Tax Levy Limit
The Board of Education is choosing to present a budget with a 2.95 percent tax levy increase that is under the tax levy limit. State aid and operational efficiencies that are under constant review will allow Schoharie CSD to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of our students while keeping the tax levy change below the state-mandated limit. If passed, the capital project will help reduce maintenance costs on the school’s heating system.
Because the district is proposing a budget that is under the tax levy limit, only a simple majority of voters – 50 percent plus one.
.