PELHAM, NY (May 10, 2023) — Pelham School District has proposed its 2023-24 budget, which has been approved by the Board of Education. The proposed budget, which complies with the New York State Tax Cap, will be voted on by the taxpayers on May 16th, 2023. The budget includes total appropriations of $90,960,000 and a 2.07% tax levy increase. This is in line with the district’s strategic plan, which focuses on continuous improvement, fiscal responsibility, high expectations, creative and critical thinking, and a sense of belonging.
The District aims to meet the needs of students in both the immediate and long term following the pandemic by providing academic and social-emotional supports. The proposed budget also includes provisions to maintain and enhance existing programs in general education, special education, extracurricular, and athletic programs. The district will also maintain class sizes that are in accordance with the guidelines of the Board of Education.
The proposed tax levy increase consists of two parts: 2.56% for operating expenses and 0.39% for capital costs. The proposed $2 million capital expenditure is not subject to the tax cap as it is treated as an exclusion. However, the District will use fund balance appropriation as a financing source for the capital expenditures. As a result, the proposed tax levy will remain 2.95%, which is below the allowable levy.
The District’s Strategic Plan focuses on three key pillars: Cultural Competence, Whole Child, and Authentic Learning. These pillars aim to cultivate an empathetic, inclusive, and equitable school community, deepen the systemic, academic, and social-emotional supports for the health, safety, and well-being of the whole child, and develop innovative problem solvers, critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, and strong collaborators. The proposed budget meets these goals and parameters and seeks to provide quality education to all students in the district.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was generated by ChatGPT based on the Pelham School District budget newsletter.