• 2022-2023 Garrison Union Free School District Proposed Budget Summary

• Detailed budget re-vote process timeline

What is a property tax cap override?

• The tax cap, which was implemented for all NYS school districts in 2012, limits annual tax levy increases to the lesser of the rate of inflation or 2%. School districts may override the cap with 60% voter approval of their budget.

Why do we need a tax cap override this year?

• Tuition costs increasing by $234,351
  • HS tuition increasing due to increased enrollment and estimated rate increases $129,737 (9%)
  • Special Education enrollment and services increasing by $104,614 (10%)
• Health care costs increasing $180,044 (14%)
• Transportation costs increasing due to additional special education runs and fuel costs $195,643 (24%)
• Total increases in these areas = $610,038

Why a 6.6% override?

• This level of funding is necessary to avoid a contingency budget that will eliminate eight (8) professional staff positions and making other programmatic cuts such as the modified sports and performing arts program that will negatively impact the fundamental tenets of The Garrison School experience
• Asking for a lower tax levy increase will likely require another budget override within the next two years
  • The Board of Education is focused on addressing this issue today and not delaying to the future

Why not cover the overages with the fund balance?

• While some of the 2022-23 budget expenses could be covered by fund balance, Garrison would be left in an extremely precarious position financially and would likely need an override higher than 6.6% in 2023-24
  • Use of fund balance to close the budget gap does not address the district’s structural budget revenue issue
  • District will have a lower bond rating and pay higher interest rates on the bond issued for permanent financing the capital project that will be completed in the 2022-23 school year
  • District will have limited ability to react to emergencies, such as a future pandemic or facility issues such as a roofing emergency

Why is the district in this situation?

• Due to costs that are increasing beyond the district’s control (high school tuition, special education programs, health care and transportation)

What happens if voters do not approve the budget override?

• Adopt a contingency budget or 0% tax levy increase

What does a contingency budget mean?

• No tax levy increase from 2021-22
• Board would need to reduce $658,356 from its proposed budget with the following cuts:
  • Eliminate All Modified Sports
  • Eliminate Transportation within a two-mile radius of the school
  • Eliminate one (1) Elementary Teaching Position
  • Eliminate one (1) Art Teaching Position
  • Eliminate three (3) Performing Arts Teacher Positions (Band, Chorus and Theater)
  • Eliminate one (1) School Psychologist Position
  • Eliminate Dialectical Behavior Therapy Consultant
  • Eliminate one (1) Environmental Science Teaching Position
  • Eliminate one (1) Director of Technology Position

View Printable Version of the FAQ

Click here to view the revised 2022-2023 Garrison Union Free School District Budget Newsletter (View in Spanish)

6/15/22
On 6/14/22, Superintendent Carl Albano and Business Administrator Joseph Jimick shared a presentation about the revised 2022/23 Garrison Union Free School Budget. View the slides here.

6/2/22
On 6/1/22, Superintendent Carl Albano and Business Administrator Joseph Jimick shared an in-depth presentation about the revised 2022/23 Garrison Union Free School Budget. View the slides here.

5/26/22
On 5/25/22, Superintendent Carl Albano and Business Administrator Joseph Jimick shared an in-depth presentation about the revised 2022/23 Garrison Union Free School Budget. View the slides here.

Click here to view the complete 2022-2023 Garrison Union Free School District Proposed Budget Summary.

Click here to view the 2022-2023 Garrison Union Free School District Budget Newsletter (View in Spanish)

5/11/22
On 5/4/22, Superintendent Carl Albano and Business Administrator Joseph Jimick shared an in-depth presentation about the 2022/23 Garrison Union Free School Budget. View the slides here.

4/26
On 4/25/22, Superintendent Carl Albano and Business Administrator Joseph Jimick shared an in-depth presentation about the 2022/23 Garrison Union Free School Budget with Q&A. View the replay here.

4/21/22
The seventh budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the April 19, 2022 Board of Education meeting. View presentation here.

4/6/22
The sixth budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the April 6, 2022 Board of Education meeting. The Board voted to adopt the proposed 2022-2023 school budget and approve the budget proposition to appear on the ballot at the Annual Meeting of May 17, 2022. View presentation here.

3/30/22
The fifth budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the March 30, 2022 Special Board of Education meeting. View presentation here.

3/23/22
The fourth budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the March 23, 2022 Community School Budget Discussion. View presentation here.

3/16/22
The third budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the March 16, 2022 Board of Education meeting. View presentation here.

3/12/22
The second budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the March 12, 2022 Community School Budget Discussion. View presentation here.

3/2/22
The first budget presentation for the proposed 2022-2023 school budget was given at the March 2, 2022 Board of Education meeting. View presentation here.