Binghamton City School District holds public hearing on 2025–26 budget; vote set for May 20
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Sign Up Free
Summary
District leaders presented a three-part proposed 2025–26 budget at a public hearing, saying state aid details remain uncertain and any unexpected state funding cannot be spent until official guidance is received; the budget vote is scheduled for May 20.
The Binghamton City School District held a public hearing Tuesday on its proposed 2025–26 budget, with district leaders warning that state aid details remain unresolved and that the district cannot spend any money beyond what is presented to voters until official state guidance is provided.
“ We cannot spend it. We cannot exceed what we're going out to the public for in terms of our bottom line,” Dr. Thompson, the district superintendent, told the board as he described how the district will treat any late state aid changes.
District staff presented the standard three-part budget breakdown: administrative costs (central business office, building principals, legal and insurance costs), the program budget (school operations and instruction) and the capital budget (buildings, security and debt service). Presenters said some increases in debt service are offset by building aid and that operations and maintenance costs show projected decreases in part because three positions are shifting to the cafeteria fund.
The presentation noted that pilot property tax payments represent a portion of the allowable tax levy (described in the presentation as “that it point 74% of that tax levy is represented by those pilots”). Officials also reviewed special items such as BOCES capital charges and said those are covered in part by state aid returned to the district.
District leaders reiterated that if the state provides more aid than included in the executive proposal, the district will report to the board but cannot change its budget bottom line for the public vote until the state finalizes aid figures. The board’s timeline for the budget process includes the public hearing and the district budget vote scheduled for May 20.
Public commenters at the hearing raised concerns about the district’s debt and capital projects. John Soledad told the board the district’s “debt service is alarming,” criticized the MacArthur School project’s appearance and urged accountability on tax payments by nonprofits. Another commenter urged later school start times and criticized perceived lack of value for tax dollars.
Next steps: the board will finalize materials for the May 20 vote and continue to monitor state budget action; district staff said they will advise the board if state aid figures change and explain how any additional funds would be treated.