MCS Trims Budget Gap, Hoping for More State Aid

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh Central School officials continue to trim the gap for the proposed 2026-27 budget.

MCS Business Administrator Robyn Bhend told school board members last Wednesday that the current budget gap stands at $389,172, down from $509,079 in February and $1.2 million in January.

Board members will approve a budget next month and the public vote is slated for May.

The current proposed budget stands at $26 million, up $900,000 or 3.59 percent.

Officials have several options to reduce the gap to zero.

State aid is up by $397,679 or 3.13 percent to $13.1 million but there is a good possibility that the aid could increase when the state budget is finalized. It is due on April 1.

Superintendent Mark Place noted that both state legislative houses have proposed the same additional one percent in funding, "so we’re hopeful that it will be included in the final state budget."

If the state budget is not done by the time board members adopt a budget, likely on April 15, the district should "go with what you know" and not budget for a state aid increase, Superintendent Place said.

In addition to using additional aid (of there is any), other ways the district can fill the budget gap would be to: can pull funds from the available fund balance (savings), take money from the district's current reserve accounts, cut spending, increase the tax levy hike more than 1.5 percent, or use funding from the Capital Area Schools Health Insurance Consortium (CASHIC) to offset health insurance costs.

The current budget proposal carries a tax levy increase of 1.5 percent, the same as last year. This would increase the levy to $10.7 million, a hike of $158,486. The district can increase the tax levy up to 2.99 percent, according to the state cap limit.

The current budget proposal includes an increase for salaries and benefits of $661,000, or 3.88 percent, to $17.7 million.

The next budget workshop is scheduled for April 15. Board members will approve the 2026-27 budget in April and it will go to voters in May.