NEWBURGH- After its initial budget was defeated by just 95 votes on May 21st, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District Board of Education worked with district administration to craft a revised budget proposal that will be considered by voters on June 18th. Newburgh’s school budget was the only Orange County school budget to fail this year.
The revised budget features a proposed 2.48 percent increase, which is 1.3 percent less than the district’s tax cap and Superintendent of Schools Dr. J. Manning Campbell said community input was key to crafting the revised budget proposal.
“The district took community input into consideration, along with the needs of our students to re-work the originally proposed budget to present a revised budget for community consideration,” said Manning Campbell.
Unlike most schools in the region, Newburgh has not raised the tax levy for nine years, last seeking an increase in the 2016-2017 school year. The revised levy, headed to voters in a few weeks, equates to an average increase of $9 per year per $300,000 of assessed property value.
Despite cuts to the initial spending plan, the revised budget does not include any additional staff layoffs. Similar to the first budget proposal, staff reductions are being made through attrition and many of the positions being eliminated were added during COVID and were supported by one-time federal funds.
The board, in its revised plan, opted for cuts to conference and travel expenditures over increasing class sizes. According to the district, average class size between 23 and 28 students at the elementary level is anticipated to be maintained with a priority on kindergarten through second grade classrooms. At the high school level class size is largely determined based on course interest and is regulated by contact between the district and its teachers.
Also on the June 18th ballot is a faceoff between two newly-elected board members, Thomasina Bello and Philip Howard. In May, a total of 13 candidates ran for six available board seats of varying terms. The candidate who received the most votes secured the longest term, with the length of the term based on the number of votes received, in descending order. Thomasina Bello and Philip Howard both received exactly 856 votes resulting in both being elected to serve on the board. The June ballot will determine which of the two newly-elected board members will serve the longer term, and which will serve the shorter.
If voters reject the revised proposal on June 18th, the district must implement a contingency budget. Under a contingency budget, the district would have to cut an additional $4.2 million because it would be unable to raise the tax levy. Any tax levy increase requires the authorization of the district’s voters.
Cuts under a contingency budget would include positions, equipment and supplies, and overtime would be made as well as the elimination of the district’s “Grow Your Own” program. The district would also be required to charge for community use of its facilities, which traditionally have been made available at no charge.
“We hope all registered voters exercise their right to vote on June 18th from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.,” said Manning Campbell.
For information on polling locations, CLICK HERE.
