Warwick Valley Voters Approve 2022-2023 Budget

$101,729,239 budget for next school year delivers 0.37% reduction to tax levy

Voters approved the Warwick Valley Central School District’s $101,729,239 budget proposal by a vote of 2256 to 858. Three community members were also elected to the district’s Board of Education.

The budget called for a tax levy reduction of 0.37%, the maximum allowable tax levy under the tax cap formula. The proposed budget will decrease the tax levy by $237,622 over this year’s current budget.

The projected $3,016,956 budget-to-budget increase in state aid – including a $2,135,458, or 12.68%, increase in state foundation aid – will allow the district to meet its goals of preserving student opportunities and staying within the tax cap. For years, the state had not been fully funding foundation aid, but last year the state agreed to settle a lawsuit and abide by its commitment to fully fund the formula used to determine state foundation aid. As part of the settlement, increases in foundation aid will occur each of the next three school years.

The district will also experience a reduction in debt service next year by $1,824,179.

Even though the tax levy will decrease, the proposed budget would increase spending by 3.15%, or $3,109,197, for the 2022-23 school year. The increase in spending is due, in part, to a rise in salaries of $2,009,580, an anticipated 7.81% increase in health insurance premiums of $944,800, and an increase in special education costs of $1,161,471.

“I would like to once again thank our residents for supporting our budget, which will continue to maintain our outstanding programs,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Leach. “A sharp increase in state foundation aid will offset the loss in revenues from a reduced local tax levy, which was caused by the reduction in debt service.”

“I would like to thank the Board of Education and the administration, who put our students at the forefront of everything we do,” Board President Keith Parsons said. “And I would like to thank the community for helping us maintain the school district’s sound financial structure by passing this budget.”

Voters also considered a proposition to purchase five buses and incidental equipment for the Transportation Department, at a maximum cost of $585,000. The proposition passed by a 2178-929 vote. The district will use $250,000 of its bus reserve fund to help offset the cost and approximately 61% of the cost ($354,983) will be recouped by the district in state transportation aid. Therefore, no additional taxes would be needed to purchase the buses at a net cost of $226,956.

Voters also decided on a third proposition – to establish a new capital bus reserve fund, pursuant to Section 3651 of the education law. The proposition passed by a 2214-880 vote. The Bus Purchase Reserve Fund would be used by the district to pay for all or a portion of the cost of the purchase of school buses and other transportation vehicles. The maximum reserve amount would be $3 million, plus accrued interest with a maximum term of 10 years.

Five candidates, including two incumbents (marked with an ‘i’ below), vied for three open Board of Education seats. The three receiving the most votes will serve three-year terms beginning July 1:

• Keith Parsons (i) – 1979 votes
• Thomas E. Maslanka – 1798 votes
• Daniel Mahoney – 1707 votes
• Eilleen Gagliano (i) – 1589 votes
• Vanessa Holland – 1564 votes