Webutuck BOE adopts 2022-23 school district budget

WEBUTUCK — With one month left until the North East (Webutuck) Central School District’s annual district budget and Board of Education (BOE) election, the Webutuck BOE put its meeting time to excellent use on Monday, April 18, by adopting the 2022-23 proposed district budget.

The BOE met at 7 p.m. over Zoom. Recognizing the meeting as the night of the district budget’s adoption, Webutuck Business Administrator Robert Farrier gave one last presentation on the proposed budget.

Keeping the BOE informed about what’s happening in New York State, Farrier said the state budget was passed, resulting in a couple small tweaks to his presentation with the addition of the state budget numbers. He also said not a tremendous amount had changed from his previous presentation.

Displaying the 2021-22 budget as a starting point from which he worked on next year’s budget, Farrier said the 2022-23 proposed budget goals $25,039,114 with a 1% (or $240,311) budget-to-budget increase from last year.

Out of that total budget amount, salaries is a major component totaling $349,359, while the district’s debt service and inter-fund transfers totaled a reduction of $397,275. Employment benefits totaled $234,628 while special education (including out-of-district placements) totaled $201,839. Next year’s Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) costs includes a reduction of $126,995 while transportation will be seeing a reduction of $80,714.

Farrier said the allowable maximum tax cap is 4.9% and includes the exclusions allowed based on capital project payments and transportation payments. The proposed tax cap the district’s working towards is 4.7% with a proposed tax levy of $16,973,699.

Delivering the budget-revenue breakdown, Farrier said state aid was calculated at $5,963,415 out of the total 2022-23 budget. Other revenue numbers — including the Medicare Assistance Program, interest and penalty on taxes and BOCES refund — were estimates based on previous years’ receipts. Farrier said they are looking to use $1.9 million for the appropriated fund balance, which gives the district $16,973,699 in total to fund the budget.

Based on the 2021-22 final tax roll, Farrier said the estimated 2022-23 tax rate for a $16,973,699 levy is $11.48 per $1,000. He explained the initial estimated tax rolls will be released Sunday, May 1 and the final tax rolls won’t be released until after the district vote, meaning the tax rate could change. As for the estimated tax calculation for homeowners, Farrier said, based on the 2021-22 final tax roll, there would be an annual increase of $0.51 per $1,000. For a $100,000 assessed value home, this would mean an annual increase of $51; for a $200,000 assessed value home, there’d be an annual increase of $102.

An annual public budget hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 9. On Tuesday, May 17, the district will hold its annual district budget vote from 12 to 9 p.m. in the Webutuck High School gym.

BOE members unanimously voted to approve the proposed 2022-23 budget later that evening.

“I want to thank Ray and Robert and everyone else who worked so hard on this,” said Webutuck BOE President Judy Moran. “We always try to do our best and there’s a lot of exciting things in there.”