Schoharie Central School District residents approved a $28.3 million proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year by a vote of 182 to 127.
The fiscal plan has an overall increase of 2.35 percent – or $649,738 – from the current year. Under the fiscal plan, the tax levy would change by 2.95 percent. This is below the state mandated tax levy limit, or “tax cap,” and equates to $256,675 being spread out among all taxable parcels in the district. The tax levy is the overall amount raised throughout the entire district. The tax levy increase is in line with the current 2.95 percent inflation rate.
Nearly 70 percent of the year-to-year increase in the budget is due to increases in employee benefits costs. The rest is due largely to a $204,531 increase in debt service payments.
Votes also re-elected Tara Barton and Daniel Guasp to the Board of Education, while Emily Gigandet is taking the third seat currently held by Terry Burton, who did not seek another term. There were no other candidates. Barton received 219 votes, Guasp had 207 vote and Gigandet had 243 votes.
Schoharie CSD residents approved a proposition to increase the annual tax levy for the Schoharie Free Library Association from $146,000 to $161,000 by a vote of 195 to 115. A second proposition on the ballot will ask voters to consider authorizing the purchase of two 66-passenger buses, in an amount not to exceed $340,000. These would be standard buses and not electric buses. That proposition was approved by a vote of 193 to 117.