Middletown School District’s proposed budget for next year is up by $9 million to nearly $263 million, district administrators said at a city council meeting on May 7.
The school tax levy, which covers more than a quarter of the total budget, is proposed to increase by 1 percent to $73 million next year.
Even with the bump, the proposed levy is still about $3 million below the amounts years ago, before the generous tax cut of $5 million in 2022.
Most of the budget increase involves personnel costs, including an estimated $7 million more in salaries, $3 million more in employee health insurance payments, and $1 million more in teacher retirement contributions next year.
The district currently employs more than 750 teachers and staffers, Michael Tuttle, district assistant superintendent for business administration, said at the presentation.
Facility operation and maintenance costs are estimated to be up by $2 million.
Based on the latest enrollment data, it costs the Middletown School District an average of $36,000 annually to educate each of its 7,200 students.
“When we sit down to create the budget that we are presenting to you, we are always scholar-focused and thinking about how we can create high-quality services for our school community,” Middletown Schools Superintendent Amy Creeden said during the presentation.
Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano noted the stable school tax levies over the past five years and the growing partnership between the city and the district.
“I want to thank the entire [school] board and the superintendent for their cooperation and work with us,” he said at the city council meeting.
Five candidates—Andrew Moore, Robin Stark, Denise Romero, Mitchell Williams, and John Perrino—are vying for four Middletown school board seats up for grabs this year.
The nearby Minisink Valley Central School District administrators propose a $120 million budget with a 2.31 percent tax levy increase; four candidates—Anthony Monaco, Scott Hines, Jessica Eli, and Kathlee DeRose—are vying for three school board seats.
As for the Port Jervis School District, the administration proposes a $96 million budget with a flat tax levy, and six candidates—Joseph Andriac, Marc Greene, Jason Kahmar, Lynn McCann-Hendershot, Cathy Sadaghiani, and Michael Witt—are running for four board seats.
May 21 is election day for school budgets and school board races.
