The Massapequa Union Free School District Board of Education on April 10 adopted a proposed 2025–26 budget in the aggregate amount of $243,245,381 and approved a package of routine resolutions, including a transfer-from-capital proposition and an award for a roof restoration project. The board set the district’s budget vote and election for May 20.

The adopted budget represents a budget-to-budget increase of 3.2 percent, the district said during the meeting. The board’s presentation listed a projected tax-levy increase of 2.99 percent and estimated that a hypothetical average assessed home would see an increase of about $285. District staff identified projected state aid of about $47,300,000 in the revenue plan; presenters described that number as a projection pending the final state budget.

Why it matters: the board’s adoption places the proposed spending plan on the ballot for voters on May 20 and authorizes related capital transfers and contract awards that would be implemented only if approved by the board or voters as required. The budget as presented includes district priorities the board highlighted: preservation of existing programs, hiring full-time social workers in each elementary school, increases to capital transfers aligned with the long-range plan, and support for arts, athletics and career-technical programming.

Key approvals and actions taken
- Adoption of the 2025–26 budget in the aggregate amount of $243,245,381 (motion, second; board vote: all members present voted Aye). The board noted the budget-to-budget increase at 3.2 percent and the tax-levy increase at 2.99 percent.
- Approval of an addendum dated April 10, 2025, to the RS Abrams & Co. LLP engagement letter for auditing services for the year ended June 30, 2025 (motion, second; Aye).
- Approval of a CEQA resolution pertaining to a proposed transfer to capital projects (motion, second; Aye).
- Approval of a secret resolution pertaining to proposed various capital projects as attached to the agenda (motion, second; Aye).
- Award of the roof restoration project to Moore Consulting through Garland DBS as recommended in the attached memorandum (motion, second; Aye).
- Approval of IEP recommendations as presented (motion, second; Aye).
- The board recorded a motion authorizing Trustee Danielle Acuto to draft and send an advocacy letter to the New York State School Boards Association regarding a proposal that became legislation (motion, second; Aye).
- The board moved into executive session to discuss personnel matters (motion, second; Aye).

Budget and capital details provided at the meeting
District presenters said the budget retains current programs and expands social work staffing by adding a full-time social worker for each elementary school. The presentation listed major revenue elements (tax levy and state aid) and a recommendation for a Proposition (referred to at the meeting as Proposition 3) to use existing capital reserve funds of approximately $4,000,000; because the funds already are in the reserve, presenters said the proposition would not increase the tax levy if voters approve it. Projects listed for that $4 million included lighting for a softball field (including new field lights for a turfed field), air-handling and HVAC upgrades at the district office, pipe/asbestos abatement at an identified school building, replacement of leaking auxiliary gym windows at McKenna, audiovisual upgrades, and classroom and science-lab interior renovations.

Process and next steps
Board members and district staff said the district must adopt a budget at this meeting to satisfy statutory timelines; the district will hold a required public budget hearing on May 8 and the public vote on May 20. Presenters said state aid numbers used in the budget are projections and that the district could adjust the tax levy before the August 15 certification if materially different state aid information arrives.

Evidence span: the budget presentation began on the agenda as the “Budget adoption presentation” and the formal budget resolution and related votes followed later in the meeting. The board president called for motions and the membership responded with Aye for each listed resolution.