Sag Harbor School Board Review Budget Ahead of May 12 Budget Hearing - 27 East
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Sag Harbor School Board Review Budget Ahead of May 12 Budget Hearing

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authorCailin Riley on Apr 23, 2025

School Business Administrator Jennifer Buscemi gave another overview of the 2025-26 budget at the Sag Harbor Board of Education meeting on Tuesday night.

It was her seventh presentation of the budget season, and the final presentation before the district’s budget hearing, set for May 12.

The proposed budget of $52,360,463 carries a budget-to-budget increase of 4.25 percent, with a 2.9 percent tax levy increase. The district will remain under the tax cap for the 14th straight year.

The budget maintains all academic programs, student support services, extracurricular activities and athletics throughout the district; includes the continued investment in facilities’ maintenance projects, instructional technology, and equipment replacement; enhances advanced learning opportunities through the addition of new International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement offerings; includes money for additional police patrols and also provides funds to meet the governor’s mandate of providing universal free school meals for all students.

Buscemi said on Tuesday night that no changes would be made to the expenditures side of the budget, but that there may be changes on the revenue side, because the New York State budget still has not been finalized. Additional revenue could be added once the state budget is approved, in the form of additional state aid. If the district does receive more state aid, it will reduce the amount of appropriated fund balance it is projecting to use to support next year’s budget. Any changes will be reviewed at the budget hearing.

At the budget vote, set for May 20, voters will also be asked to approve a proposition to use $975,000 from the Facilities Improvement Capital Reserve Fund to help cover the cost of HVAC unit ventilator upgrades at the Sag Harbor Elementary School and Pierson Middle High School. Approval of the proposition will not impact the budget or tax levy.

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