BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Massena Central School District residents will head to the polls May 20 to vote on the next fiscal year budget which will carry no increase to the tax levy.

The $74.4 million budget is yet another that school officials have balanced while strategically investing in capital projects and necessary programs in recent years.

According to Superintendent Ron Burke, the district has managed a 0% levy for multiple years in a row, noting that the property tax cap is actually 4.49%.

"That's the maximum that we could go out to seek the majority vote," he said.

Despite state officials failing to pass a budget as of press time, Burke said district officials have used Governor Kathy Hochul's budget proposal and possible state aid figures to craft the next district budget.

“We are looking at a spending plan of $74,402,939, which is just slightly over a $2 million increase in spending compared to the 24-25 school year. With this budget, we would again be proposing to go out to the taxpayers with a 0% increase,” Burke said.

As for the spending plan, $51.4 million is slated to come from state and federal aid, while $15.2 million will be raised from taxes.

Foundation aid is expected to increase to $37.8 million in the budget, a $2 million increase compared to the current budget.

Officials say they also plan to use $2.9 million from the fund balance to balance the budget.

Burke emphasized at a recent board of education meeting that all figures were preliminary at this point due to the late state budget.

"All of these numbers are based on the governor’s proposal from mid-January. These numbers could change. As I’ve said before, if they do, I would anticipate that they would be changing higher rather than lower,” Burke said.

Burke said if all plays out as it is projected to at the moment, the district will receive $4 million more in state aid. Projected building aid would be lower, however, leaving the district with about $2.5 million extra in aid.

“That’s new money that we can put on to the general fund to actually pay our bills. So, we’re going to be having more aid than what we’re looking at actual expenses. I think that’s a good spot to be looking at, that we’re not in a deficit spending structure,” Burke said.

Overall, the largest expense comes in the form of salaries, which sits at $30.3 million, while employee benefits will be $20.7 million, officials said.

Burke said major cost drivers include a $463,000 increase in health insurance costs, $300,000 in new salaries, $207,341 for BOCES administrative services, $225,794 for career and technical education with BOCES, as well as $180,000 for a fifth bus.

When assessing the budget, Burke said new salaries include $115,000 for an elementary art/academic intervention services teacher and the transitioning of two positions from aides to teaching assistants.

Burke said the district has also budgeted $205,000 in special education expenses, which will account for a school psychologist and speech pathologist.

According to the budget proposal, the district would also add three new departmental chairpeople  in the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessments to the tune of $14,000.

For the Summer Raider Academy, $72,000 has been budgeted, with $3,000 budgeted for more mentor meetings, officials said.

One cost saving measure the district will undertake is a fleet management program with enterprise, which is to not exceed $106,000 to replace eight vehicles while adding an additional vehicle for conferences and meetings.

The move would save the district around $250,000 over the next 10 years, Burke said.

Before voters head to the polls multiple public budget hearings will be held in each township represented in the district, along with multiple hearings at the school.

Superintendent Ron Burke said he and district officials will first hold a public forum on May 6 at 6 p.m. at Norfolk Fire Station 2, located on Route 420.

Burke and district officials will then present again at 6 p.m. on May 7 at the Louisville Fire Station, located on State Route 37.

The third and final public forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 8 in the Massena High School auditorium. That forum is required as part of the budget hearing.Two additional forums will be held following the budget hearing, the first at 6 p.m. on May 14 in the J.W. Leary Junior High School cafeteria and another at 1 p.m. on May 15 at the Massena Public Library.

Burke said he also plans to present to the Massena Rotary Club "sometime in mid-April" and again at the Monday Luncheon Club at a later date that has yet to be determined.

Burke said a budget newsletter will also be mailed to district taxpayers prior to the budget hearing as well.

“There will be information in there that will actually be a capital project component They’re working on that now. They’re also working on giving me the PR materials,” he previously said.