BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — Massena school officials are still confident they can maintain a 0% tax levy increase for the 2023-24 budget, despite having to change some figures from their initial assessment.

According to Superintendent Pat Brady, the finance committee is recommending a 0% tax levy increase this year, the third year in a row that the tax levy would remain flat.

Officials say the district’s estimated property tax cap for 2023-24 is 3.92%, which would bring in $581,497 more that last year. The total tax cap would be $15,412,194.

Projected revenue for the district sits at $69,257,732 with projected expenses of $69,718,242. The $460,510 difference will be covered through fund balance money.

According to Brady, both houses in the state legislature have agreed to fully fund foundation aid in this year’s state budget, something that Massena will greatly benefit from.

“This is the last of the three years of fully funding foundation aid. This is going to be the highest amount of aid to public schools in the history of the state. All schools will see at least a 3% increase in foundation aid. So, that’s good news,” Brady said.

However, that figure is lower than originally anticipated.

““The state aid that is in the proposal from the governor is based on a Department of Budgets calculation in November. Then, they recalculate on Feb. 15 to determine what will go in the final budget for foundation aid and other aids,” Brady said.

“Because inflation played a big factor in this previously and inflation has started to come down, there was a $130 million decrease in foundation aid. For Massena, that was about a $250,000 decrease in foundation aid for next year. But, given the amount of aid that we’re receiving, this is not going to have an impact on our funding.”

Universal free lunches were also on the table as both houses negotiated. In the end, $280 million was approved to fund universal free meals for students.

“As you know, during the pandemic, the federal government paid for school meals. Now, that has gone away this year. Both the Senate and the Assembly have put in for $280 million for school meals. Whether that will make it into the final budget, we’re not sure. But it’s in there,” Brady said.

These developments come on the heels of Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget, which would grant Massena $34,458,493 in foundation aid. That represents a $5,,032,291 or 17.10% increase compared to the previous year, officials say.

Another proposal from state officials that may benefit Massena, if passed in the final budget, would be an increase in the amount school districts can use for capital outlay projects.

Under the proposed budget, schools could use up to $250,000, up from the $100,000 that schools budget for.

Capital outlay projects are small scale maintenance projects that can be approved without going through a public referendum like on large scale capital projects.

“That was in there last year as well and didn’t make the final cut. We’ll see what happens. We’ve been lobbying for that increase for a while,” Brady said.

Board of Education members are expected to adopt the budget on April 17, with a public hearing set for May 4. The budget vote will occur on May 16 from 12-8 p.m.