Budgets - Budget Newsletter
2023-2024 Proposed Budget
At-A-Glance
- 1.86% Tax Levy increase
- Proposition #1: $140,949,698 school budget
- Proposition #2: George Fischer Middle School Water Tank Replacement
- Proposition #3: Districtwide Phone System, Intercom and Public Address System
- Two Board of Education Trustee Seats up for election
Proposed Budget 2022-2023
Administrative Budget
| Administrative | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Education | $55,071.00 | $50,600.00 | $4,471.00 |
| Central Administration | $362,534.00 | $349,220.00 | $13,314.00 |
| Finance | $1,431,900.00 | $1,444,822.00 | ($12,922.00) |
| Legal Services | $166,160.00 | $166,160.00 | $0.00 |
| Personnel | $412,048.00 | $384,847.00 | $27,201.00 |
| Records Management | $3,237.00 | $3,250.00 | ($13.00) |
| Public Information |
$165,763.00 | $156,495.00 | $9,268.00 |
| Other Central Services |
$1,753,860.00 | $1,642,034.00 | $111,826.00 |
| Other Special Items |
$1,370,387.00 | $1,329,419.00 | $40,968.00 |
| Curriculum, Development & Supervision |
$398,205.00 | $378,372.00 | $19,833.00 |
| Supervision, Regular School |
$2,639,290.00 | $2,576,035.00 | $63,255.00 |
| Research, Evaluation, Staff Development & Planning |
$214,900.00 | $208,760.00 | $6,140.00 |
| Employee Benefits |
$2,658,541.00 | $2,543,901.00 | $114,640.00 |
| Total Administrative Budget |
$11,631896.00 | $11,233,915.00 | $397,981.00 |
Program Budget
| Program | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | $50,525.00 | $50,525.00 | $0.00 |
| Instruction |
$71,812,953.00 | $68,334,696.00 | $3,478,257.00 |
| Other District Transportation |
$5,837,307.00 | $5,063,536.00 | $773,771.00 |
| Garage Building |
$641,896.00 | $713,124.00 | ($71,228.00) |
| Community Service |
$365,000.00* | $365,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Employee Benefits |
$35,368,374.00 | $33,372,321.00 | $1,996,053.00 |
| Total Program Budget |
$114,076,055.00 | $107,899,202.00 | $6,176,853.00 |
*This is the correct number; the printed version of this newsletter was incorrect at $134,774,187.00. There was no change from year to year.
Capital Budget
| Capital | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation of Plant | $7,370,455.00 | $7,344,903.00 | $25,552.00 |
| Judgements & Claims |
$100,000.00 | $100,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Refund of Taxes |
$100,000.00 | $100,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Purchase of Buses |
$228,600.00 | $736,000.00 | ($507,400.00) |
| Debt Service |
$4,974,282.00 | $4,880,232.00 | $94,050.00 |
| Transfer to Capital |
$0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Employee Benefits |
$2,468,410.00 | $2,479,935.00 | ($11,525.00) |
| Total Capital Budget |
$15,241,747.00 | $15,641,070.00 | ($399,323.00) |
Total Budget
| Total Budget | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Budget |
$140,949,698.00 | $134,774,187.00 | $6,175,511.00 |
How would the Proposed Budget Impact my Tax Bill?
With the proposed 1.86% tax levy increase, a Carmel Central School District home with a taxable assessed value of $350,000 will likely see an annual tax bill increase of approximately $155-$185. However, the figures provided assume School Tax Relief Program (STAR) exemptions, no change in the town assessed value, and no changes in the equalization rates.
The school district has no control over changes to town assessed values or equalization rates. These are subject to change as determined by each town and generally not set until later this summer. Any changes to those values could result in different annual tax changes for district homes.
| Town | Proposed 2023-2024 Tax Rate | Proposed 2023-2024 Taxes | 2022-2023 Tax Rate | 2022-2023 Taxes | Annual Tax Change ($) |
| Carmel | 24.206994 | $8,472 | 23.765459 | $8,318 | $155 |
| Kent | 28.919448 | $10,122 | 28.391929 | $9,937 | $185 |
| Patterson | 24.202749 | $8,471 | 23.761215 | $8,316 | $155 |
| Putnam Valley | 24.217871 | $8,476 | 23.776338 | $8,322 | $155 |
| Southeast | 24.107199 | $8,438 | 23.665665 | $8,283 | $155 |
| East Fishkill | 24.213078 | $8,475 | 23.771545 | $8,320 | $155 |
Making Sense of Your Tax Bill
Carmel Central School District is proposing an increase to its tax levy by 1.86% for 2023-24. However, your overall tax bill may change by a different percentage if:
- The value of your property has changed;
- Your STAR reimbursement has changed; or
- The proportion of school taxes paid by homeowners in your township changes.
How is your final school tax bill and tax rate set?
Your school tax bill and tax rate are determined by a combination of three factors, one of which is outside the district’s control:
- School Tax Levy: The total amount of money a school district needs to collect from property owners each year ($140,949,698 in the 2023-24 proposed budget). This is a 1.86% increase proposed for 2023-24, which is less than the district’s tax cap of 2.64%.
- State School Tax Relief Program (STAR): Partial school tax exemptions for owner-occupied homes. The Basic STAR and Enhanced STAR savings for each township can be found online:
www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/star/ex_index.htm Opens in a new browser tab . - Property Assessments: Estimates of the value of how much a property would sell for under normal conditions. This information is determined by your town’s assessor.
Once all factors are set, the final tax rate determines how much of the total tax levy each property owner pays.
Transportation Purchase/Lease Program
During the 2021-2022 school year, the Board of Education made the decision to move forward with leasing big buses while continuing to purchase small buses and suburbans for the district.
The district’s current 114-bus fleet includes 63 buses in the 10 to 20-year range. The average life span of a bus is 10 years. The move toward leasing buses, rather than purchasing buses, will allow the district access to newer, state-of-the-art buses with fewer repair and maintenance costs that are associated with aging buses.
In April 2023, the District took delivery of Phase 1 of the lease program and hopes to take delivery of Phase 2 over the summer months, should the 2023-2024 proposed budget be approved by voters.
The costs associated with moving to such a program are factored into the proposed 2023-24 budget and the impact on future years’ budgets are outlined below:
5-Year Big Bus Lease Plan & 10-Year Small Vehicle Purchase Program
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |
| Big Buses Leased | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 |
| Small Buses Purchased | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Suburbans Purchased | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Big Bus Lease Cost | $384,000 | $312,000 | $315,000 | $320,000 | $320,000 | $425,000 |
| Small Bus Purchase Cost | $248,000 | $173,600 | $450,000 | $450,000 | $450,000 | $450,000 |
| Suburban Purchase Cost | $104,000 | $ 55,000 | $110,000 | $0 | $115,000 | $0 |
| Total Yearly Cost | $736,000 | $540,600 | $875,000 | $770,000 | $885,000 | $875,000 |
| Total Budget Appropriation for Lease & Purchase Payments |
$736,000 | $924,600 | $1,571,000 | $1,781,000 | $2,216,000 | $2,526,000 |
| 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | |
| Big Buses Leased | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 |
| Small Buses Purchased | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Suburbans Purchased | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Big Bus Lease Cost | $312,000 | $312,000 | $324,000 | $324,000 | $432,000 |
| Small Bus Purchase Cost | $455,000 | $460,000 | $465,000 | $372,000 | $465,000 |
| Suburban Purchase Cost | $120,000 | $0 | $120,000 | $0 | $125,000 |
| Total Yearly Cost | $887,000 | $772,000 | $909,000 | $696,000 | $1,022,000 |
| Total Budget Appropriation for Lease & Purchase Payments |
$2,579,000 | $2,464,000 | $2,598,000 | $2,389,000 | $2,719,000 |
School District Budget Notice
What Happens if Budget is Not Approved?
If the proposed 2023-24 budget does not receive voter approval from the May 17 vote, by law, the Board of Education has two options:
- The proposed budget may be placed before the voters with or without changes for a second vote.
- The Board of Education may adopt a budget that carries a 0% tax levy increase.
Contingency Budget
New York State requires school districts to establish a contingency spending plan in the event that the Board of Education’s proposed budget does not receive voter approval. The law is very specific regarding the limit of the contingent budget-to-budget increase. Should Carmel be required to adopt a contingency budget for the 2023-24 school year, it would carry a tax levy increase of 0%. For 2023-24 the amount of the contingent budget would be $139,101,012. To meet the contingent budget, it would require an additional $1,848,686 in reductions to the proposed budget.
Under a contingent budget, the district must continue to honor all contracts, all state-mandated items and all items necessary for the educational program, health and safety of students and staff, and the preservation of district property. In the event that CCSD must adopt a contingency budget, the district may not purchase equipment or buses. Additionally, the District may make reductions in programming, activities, supplies and staffing.
Zero-Tax Impact Safety Capital Projects
On May 16, the CCSD community will be asked to vote on two capital projects that impact the safety and wellbeing of our school district. Both proposed projects will have a zero-tax impact as the funds for both projects will be transferred from the District’s Capital Reserve Fund, which has a balance of $2,900,000.
Summary of Proposition #2: GFMS Water Tank Replacement
The District is proposing the replacement of the original, 50-year-old 10,600-gallon water tank that services all of George Fischer Middle School at an estimated cost of $500,000. The District would receive approximately 50% back in state aid reimbursement for the cost of the project. The project would be slated to begin during the summer of 2024 with an estimated timeline of 4-6 weeks.
Without taking this action, the District risks a potential failure of the water tank, which would cause a disruption to the educational environment of George Fischer Middle School by displacing students in the building and altering their classroom settings. Failure could also mean physical plant damage to the building resulting in increased costs for the overall project with respect to labor and materials.
Summary of Proposition #3: Districtwide Phone System, Intercom and Public Address System
The District is proposing the replacement of the districtwide phone system and intercom and public address system which are more than 20 years old at an estimated cost of $1,000,000. The District would receive approximately 50% back in state aid
reimbursement for the cost of the project. The project would be slated to take place during the 2023-2024 school year.
The District has experienced sporadic failures of these systems in all buildings for years because the systems rely on copper lines that are outdated and no longer serviced through service provider companies. During these times of failures, incoming
and outgoing calls are not possible and announcements within the building are limited at best. All these circumstances present safety issues for our students, staff and families. Lack of reliable communication both within school district buildings and
outside the District puts our school community in a dangerous position.
The District is proposing a Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, which will provide more reliability, better communications and incident response. In addition to replacing the traditional phone, intercom and fax systems, VoIP will allow connections
to be made to panic buttons for instant visual and auditory alerts and the ability to interact with other District security systems including door controls, cameras and future strobe lights.
What You Will See on the Ballot
Voters will be asked to consider three propositions and vote for two Board of Education members on this year’s ballot. The first proposition asks voters to consider the proposed school budget for 2023-24, while the second and third propositions ask voters to consider two safety capital projects, which will have no impact on taxes. This is how they will appear on the ballot:
Proposition #1: Basic Budget
Shall the Board of Education be authorized to expend the sum of $140,949,698 during the 2023-2024 school year as a basic budget?
Proposition #2: George Fischer Middle School Water Tank Replacement
Shall the Board of Education of the Carmel Central School District be authorized to, without the levy of additional taxes, replace the water tank at George Fischer Middle School, and acquire associated and incidental equipment, machinery, apparatus
and perform related work, at an estimated maximum cost of $500,000, which amount shall be paid for entirely from the Capital Reserve Fund?
Proposition #3: Districtwide Phone System, Intercom and PublicAddress System
Shall the Board of Education of the Carmel Central School District be authorized to, without the levy of additional taxes, replace the districtwide phone, intercom and public address system in its School Buildings, district office, transportation office and
bus garage, and acquire associated and incidental equipment, machinery, apparatus and perform related work, at an estimated maximum cost of $1,000,000, which amount shall be paid for entirely from the Capital Reserve Fund?
School Board Candidate Elections
There are two (2) Board of Education seats up for election this year. All residents may vote on the two available seats and the three propositions. The seats will be filled by the two candidates with the highest number of votes for three (3)-year terms,
commencing July 1, 2023, and expiring on June 30, 2026.
Candidates are (as they will appear on the ballot):
- Carmela Atria
- James Wise
- Jordi Douglas
Budget Vote: May 16, 2023, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Voting Information
If you are a resident of Carmel Central School District and are registered for general elections in the county where you reside (Putnam or Dutchess), you are eligible to vote on May 16. You may register with the County Board of Elections by mail or through the
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website until May 11, 2023.
Voting Locations
Registered voters must vote at their designated polling place based on address. If you are unsure of your polling place, please contact Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at 845-878-2094, ext. 201, or jstevens@carmelschools.org Opens in a new browser tab .
- Patterson Residents: CCSD Administrative Office, 81 South Street, Patterson
- Kent/East Fishkill Residents: Kent Elementary School, Route 52, Carmel
- Carmel/Putnam Valley/Southeast Residents: Carmel High School, 30 Fair Street, Carmel
Absentee Ballots
Application for an absentee ballot is available on our website, carmelschools.org Opens in a new browser tab , or by contacting Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at 845-878-2094, ext. 201, or jstevens@carmelschools.org Opens in a new browser tab . The application must be received by the District
Clerk by May 10 (mail) or May 15 (in-person).
Completed ballots must be received at the CCSD Administrative Office by 5 p.m. on May 16, 2023.