School board adopts $175M budget
2018-19 spending plan, 3 other propositions go to voters on May 15
KINGSTON, N.Y. » A 2018-19 budget that would increase spending by 3.2 percent and the property tax levy by 2.6 percent will go to Kingston school district voters on May 15.
The $175 million package was adopted by the Board of Education on Wednesday.
District Superintendent Paul Padalino said the budget maintains existing programs and staffing levels.
“We’ve eliminated no programs for students and no teachers, faculty or staff,” he said. “So we’re going to continue the programs that we’re committed to in past budgets.”
The budget is about $5.5 million larger than the district’s 2017-18 spending plan, and it calls for a tax levy — the total amount to be generated by property taxes — of $104.1 million, an increase of about $2.7 million from the current level.
The proposed tax levy is about $991,000 below the maximum that the state set for Kingston. School budget proposals with tax levies that exceed the state cap must be favored by a least 60 percent of voters to take effect.
During a presentation earlier this month, Padalino said the budget would provide an additional $1 million for special education programs.
Appropriations in the 2018-19 budget include:
• $52.1 million for employee benefits, up 1.6 percent from 2017-18.
• $43.1 million for regular school teaching costs, up 0.6 percent.
• $30.4 million for programs for students with disabilities, up 10 percent.
• $11.9 million for general support, up 3.3 percent.
• $9.2 million for debt service, up 6.5 percent.
• $8 million for transportation, up 4.5 percent.
• $7.2 million for central services, down 0.2 percent.
• $5.9 million for pupil personnel services, up 2.2 percent.
• $3.3 million for instructional support, down 6.4 percent.
•$2.2 million for special schools, up 15.7 percent.
Also on the May 15 ballot will be propositions asking voters to approve:
• A new capital reserve fund that would hold money from the sale of the Cioni Building on Crown Street in Kingston.
• Spending up to $16 million on capital projects at John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Harry L. Edson Elementary School and M. Clifford Miller Middle School. The money would come from a combination of existing reserve funds and state aid.
• Negotiating with city of Kingston officials to give up the district’s 50 percent ownership of Dietz Stadium.