The Mineola Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a $114,419,374 budget for the 2026/2027 school year at its Thursday, April 16, meeting.
The budget is $2,221,881 (1.98%) over last year’s, and includes the maximum allowable tax levy increase of 2.36%, according to abudget presentation. Usingstate enrollment datafor the 2024/2025 school year, the district is projected to spend around $41,000per student.
Among the biggest expense changes are those driven by salary and benefit changes, according to the presentation.
Assistant Superintendent for Business & Operations Will Herman said that general and health insurance costs, as well as operational costs such as energy, are rising due to external factors.
He said some other expense increases are for plans to enhance district security measures and the replacement of four full-size buses and two wheelchair-accessible vans.
Revenue projections are largely finalized, Herman said, with the important exception of state aid, which is subject to the State Legislature’s passing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s state budget proposal. Lawmakers were supposed to approve the bill by April 1, but arestill negotiating.
Herman said if state aid ends up being less than expected, the district will need to dip into its appropriated fund balance to make up the revenue shortfall.
District residents can vote on whether to approve the budget on May 19, when school board candidates and budget propositions will be considered. The district needs a simple majority to pass the budget.
If the budget is voted down, the district can offer a second option for public approval or put forth a contingency budget, Herman said. A no vote on any second draft from the district will trigger a contingency budget.
“Contingency budget” means the district may not increase the tax levy. Herman said the law mandates certain budget items that cannot be cut and others that cannot be kept in a contingent budget.
Source: LI Press
