Q: Who creates the school budget?
A: School administrators develop a budget in coordination with the Superintendent, the Board of Education and members of the community.
Q: What is the proposed school budget for 2026-27?
A: The proposed school budget for 2026-27 is $118,872,000.
Q: What is the tax levy increase?
A: The proposed tax levy increase is 3.33%.
Q: Is the district exceeding the state tax levy cap?
A: No. The proposed tax levy increase is within the state tax levy cap.
Q: Is the property tax levy cap really 2 percent?
A: No. Each school district is required to calculate their unique property tax levy cap using an eight-step formula provided by New York State. Some school districts will have a tax levy cap higher than two percent and others will have a tax levy cap lower than two percent dependent upon the values of all eight factors in their school calculation. The only factor in the entire calculation relating to two percent is the inflationary factor, which is the lesser of 2 percent or the Consumer Price Index. Since the Consumer Price Index factor was 2.63% for fiscal years beginning July 1, 2026, the inflationary factor in the formula is limited to 1.02%. The entire tax levy cap formula is posted on the District website.
The tax levy cap for the East Greenbush CSD in 2026-27 is 3.33%.
Q: What is the breakdown of district costs?
A: The proposed 2026-27 budget has the following breakdown:
48.6% Salaries
29.6% Employee Benefits
5.7% Debt Service and Transfers
6.6% Contractual and Tuition Payments
6.2% BOCES Services
3.0% Equipment and Materials
0.2% Interfund Transfers
0.1% Capital Project Transfer
Q: Why are expenses increasing so much?
A: The total budget is increasing by $3.72 million, with the primary drivers being rising health insurance premiums and contractual salary increases. Together, these two areas account for 97% of the total budget increase.
- Employee Benefits (50% of the increase): Overall employee benefit costs are rising by $1.85 million. This is due to significant rate hikes in the district’s insurance plans, with medical plans increasing between 10% and 16.5%, and the pharmacy plan increasing by 17%.
- Salaries (47% of the increase): Contractual salary increases represent an additional $1.75 million of the total budget increase.
Q: What are the proposed reductions to close the budget gap?
A: District administrators collaborated with building principals and the Board of Education to close a $2 million budget gap through strategic reductions.
- Salary and Benefits ($1,070,362)
- Instructional ($352,594): Elimination of the Jump-Start Program (1.0 FTE Teacher and 1.0 FTE Teaching Assistant, both via retirement); elimination of the MAP Program (2.0 FTE Teaching Assistants via retirement, with the teacher re-absorbed into teaming); and cost reductions from the implementation of a new tutoring model.
- Non-Instructional ($497,768): Elimination or attrition of a 1.0 FTE Database Specialist, 1.0 FTE Transportation Typist, 1.0 FTE Assistant Transportation Supervisor, and 1.0 FTE Floating Nurse. Additionally, a 0.25 FTE Food Service Custodial position will be moved to the School Lunch Fund.
- Prescription Drug ($220,000): Achieved by reducing the premium rate increase from 20% to 17%.
- Non-Salary Items ($994,808)
- State Aid and Placements: Anticipated UPK State Aid to cover the local share; reduction in available contingency seats for Special Education Placements.
- Equipment and BOCES Services: Removal of a Front-End Loader purchase; reductions in BOCES expenses including an unutilized Arts in Education line item, eliminating an added day for a Communications Specialist, and eliminating the Health & Safety service.
- Operational and Line Items: Reductions in new printer leases, curriculum writing, digital textbooks, garbage collection, auto insurance, and utilities (gas/electric).
Q: Are any teachers being laid off?
A: No. Any reductions to classroom teaching positions, such as the MAP program at Goff, will be reassigned to our teamed teaching model.
Q: How is the community informed of the school budget?
A: The school district shares updates regarding the school budget planning process during public Board of Education meetings. Additionally, there are budget workshops scheduled in March and April each year which provide information about the school budget. View Budget Information.
Q: When is the School Budget Vote and Board Election?
A: The vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
Q: What is on the ballot?
A: The ballot will include the following propositions:
- Proposition 1: School Budget for 2026-27
- Proposition 2: Purchase of Six School Buses from Bus Purchase Reserve Fund
- Board of Education Election: There are three open seats in this year’s election
Q: Where should I vote on May 19, 2026?
A: The school district is divided into election zones as follows:
- Bell Top – Residents of the Town of North Greenbush
- Goff – Residents of the Town of East Greenbush
- Donald P. Sutherland – Residents of the Towns of Sand Lake or Chatham or Residents with a Nassau mailing address
- Green Meadow – Residents of the Town of Schodack who do not have a Nassau mailing address
Q: Who is eligible to vote in the School Budget Vote and Board Election?
A: Voters must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the East Greenbush Central School District for at least 30 days prior to the vote, and registered to vote. You do not need to own property in the school district to be eligible to vote.
Q: How can I find out if I am registered to vote?
A: If you have voted in a school election within the last four years, you are already registered to vote. You can also confirm your voter registration status by clicking the link below.
Q: If the budget is passed, will my taxes go up?
A: The district cannot predict with certainty how much an individual property owner’s taxes will go up or down if the school budget is passed. The school budget only contains information on the tax levy, or how much will be collected in total from all the taxpayers in the school district.
The proposed budget presented to the Board of Education on April 21, 2026 shows a projected 3.33% increase in the tax levy for next year. An individual’s property tax bill next year will be dependent upon how much of the tax levy is allocated to a particular town, how the levy is allocated among residential and commercial properties, the individual property’s assessed value and market (full) value, and qualifying exemptions on the property.
Q: What happens if the budget vote goes down?
A: If the proposed budget is defeated on May 19, 2026, the Board of Education will have three choices:
- Submit the same budget to the voters on June 16, 2026
- Submit a revised budget to the voters on June 16, 2026
- Adopt a contingent budget for 2026-27 in accordance with State regulations
Based on the proposed budget as of April 21, 2026, a contingent budget would require further restrictions on our equipment purchases and review of our non-mandated programs and activities.
Updated April 22, 2026