Budgets - Budget Newsletter
2021-2022 Proposed Budget
Dear Carmel Community,
At the April 20, 2021, Board of Education meeting, the Carmel Board of Education adopted a $133,581,366 spending plan for the 2021-2022 school year. This spending plan represents a 2.33% increase in spending over the 2020-2021 budget and will rely on a proposed 1.69% tax levy increase. Building a budget has not been an easy task in recent years and building the proposed 2021-2022 school year budget is no exception.
As has been the case over the past several years, we continue to tackle significant economic pressures including compliance with the NYS property tax cap legislation, underfunded
NYS Foundation Aid, underfunded/unfunded mandates, contractual obligations, rising healthcare costs, pension contributions and special programming needs. In the 2020-2021
school year we have incurred unexpected costs for PPE, cleaning & disinfection, technology, and desk barriers. Additionally, the District continues to plan for a continued uncertain
environment in the 2021-2022 school year.
Similar to previous years, the 2021-2022 proposed budget includes difficult decisions on where and what to reduce in order to remain under the tax cap and meet the needs of our
students. Every area of the operating budget was examined with the intention of providing the very best education for our children. The proposed 2021-2022 budget, as it stands,
reflects our commitment to put children first.
The budget newsletter provides an overview of the proposed budget. Please review the proposed budget and make an informed decision when casting your vote. CarmelSchools.org, our website, provides additional information and details about the proposed 2021-2022 budget.
Remember your vote is important – every vote counts! Thank you for your support of our District and your continued partnership as we work together to educate the whole student to
become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.
Sincerely,
The Carmel Board of Education
CCSD By the Numbers
- 6 Towns served by Carmel Central School District
- 40 Carmel High School senior Rebecca Monge placed in the Top 40 of the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021
- 91 Carmel High School 4-year graduation rate percentage (2018-19, latest data from NYS Education Department)
- 92 Student works of art highlighted in the Youth Art Month Virtual Show
- 500 Valentine’s Day cards created by Matthew Paterson Elementary students for local seniors and veterans
- 1,258 People following the District on Instagram (@Carmel_Schools)
- 1,360 Digits of Pi memorized by Carmel High School junior Nicholas DiLeo for Pi Day 2021
- 2,500 Grab-and-go meals distributed weekly to District families in need
- 2,761 People following the District on Twitter (@CarmelSchools)
- 3,295 People following the District on Facebook (@CarmelSchools)
- 3,825 Students enrolled in Carmel Central School District (as of October 2020)
- 6,975 Community members who receive Schoolhouse eNews each week
- 17,797 Dollars raised by Team Carmel Rams for its inaugural participation in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Student of the Year 2021 campaign to raise funds toward a
cure for blood cancers
Reserve Accounts & Fund Balance
Our reserve accounts allow for proper planning of unexpected expenses without having to dip into the general budget.
Account |
June 30, 2020 |
June 30, 2019 |
Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Reserve for Encumbrances This reserve is for expenditures for the previous school year that were not yet received and/or paid by June 30. These expenditures are normally paid during the months of July and August. This reserve is created and used each year. |
$928,439.44 | $806,330.01 | $122,109.43 |
|
Reserve for Tax Certiorari This reserve is for expenditures that arise when taxpayers in the District challenge the assessments of their property and file lawsuits to have their assessments lowered. |
$1,798,315.64 | $1,909,495.64 | ($111,180.00) |
|
Reserve for Employee Benefits This reserve is for expenditures related to contractual obligations for retirees such as the payment of unused sick and personal days. |
$1,732,281.43 | $1,231,531.78 | $500,749.65 |
|
Reserve for Retirement Contributions This reserve is funds that are set aside to help cover the costs of large increases to the employer contributions to ERS and TRS which can happen from time to time. |
$500,000.00 | $0 | $500,000.00 |
|
Appropriated Fund Balance This is the amount that was used to reduce the amount of the tax levy for the 2020-21 school year. |
$2,200,000.00 | $2,225,000.00 | ($25,000.00) |
|
Capital Reserve This reserve allows the District to set aside money for future construction projects and improvements of facilities. Voter approval is required to withdraw any funds from this account. |
$1,103,716.65 | $953,716.65 | $150,000 |
|
Unreserved-Undesignated Fund Balance By NYS law, this fund can be up to 4% of the current year’s budget and is reserved for unforeseen emergencies. |
$5,221,655.44 | $4,897,070.25 | $324,585.19 |
|
Appropriated for COVID This is a one-time appropriation that was approved by the Board of Education to cover increased costs of operating our schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
$1,310,414.00 | $0 | $1,310,414.00 |
| Total | $14,794,822,60.00 | $12,023,144.33 | $2,771,678.27 |
Making Sense of Your Tax Bill
How will the proposed 2021-22 budget affect your taxes?
Carmel Central School District is proposing an increase to its tax levy by 1.69% for 2021-22. 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 of the District’s control:
- School Tax Levy: The total amount of money a school district needs to collect from property owners each year ($100,259,366 in the 2021-22 proposed budget). There
is a 1.69% increase proposed for 2021-22, which is less than the District’s tax cap of 1.70% - The 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 at www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/star/ex_index.htm. - 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.
Carmel Central School District Proposed Budget 2021-2022
Administrative Budget
| Administrative | 2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Education | $44,730.00 | $45,930.00 | ($1,200.00) |
| Central Administration | $352,411.00 | $348,250.00 | $4,161.00 |
| Finance | $1,494,878.00 | $1,455,215.00 | $39,663.00 |
| Legal Services | $125,000.00 | $125,000.00 | $0 |
| Personnel | $562,255.00 | $456,200.00 | $106,055.00 |
| Records Management | $3,250.00 | $25,900.00 | ($22,650.00) |
| Public Information |
$133,200.00 | $140,700.00 | ($7,500.00) |
| Other Central Services |
$1,106,730.00 | $952,546.00 | $154,184.00 |
| Other Special Items |
$1,299,678.00 | $1,255,450.00 | $44,228.00 |
| Curriculum, Development & Supervision |
$456,420.00 | $447,625.00 | $8,795.00 |
| Supervision, Regular School |
$2,437,814.00 | $2,532,400.00 | ($94,586.00) |
| Research, Evaluation & Planning |
$11,000.00 | $11,000.00 | $0 |
| Employee Benefits |
$2,642,135.00 | $2,637,243.00 | $4,892.00 |
| Total Administrative Budget |
$10,669,501.00 | $10,433,459.00 | $236,042.00 |
Program Budget
| Program | 2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services | $45,000.00 | $45,000.00 | $0 |
| Instruction |
$68,368,046.00 | $67,067,584.00 | $1,300,462.00 |
| Other District Transportation |
$5,068,120.00 | $4,951,375.00 | $116,745.00 |
| Garage Building |
$746,267.00 | $736,950.00 | $9,317.00 |
| Community Service |
$365,200.00 | $340,550.00 | $24,650.00 |
| Employee Benefits |
$32,478,713.00 | $32,418,581.00 | $60,132.00 |
| Total Program Budget |
$107,071,346.00 | $105,560,040.00 | $1,511,306.00 |
Capital Budget
| Capital | 2021-2022 | 2020-2021 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation of Plant | $7,418,230.00 | $7,431,525.00 | ($13,295.00) |
| Judgements & Claims |
$100,000.00 | $100,000.00 | $0 |
| Refund of Taxes |
$100,000.00 | $100,000.00 | $0 |
| Purchase of Buses |
$502,000.00 | $465,000.00 | $37,000.00 |
| Debt Service |
$4,890,486.00 | $3,625,928.00 | $1,264,558.00 |
| Transfer to Capital |
$470,000.00 | $470,000.00 | $0 |
| Employee Benefits |
$2,359,803.00 | $2,355,434.00 | $4,369.00 |
| Total Capital Budget |
$15,840,519.00 | $14,547,887.00 | $1,292,632.00 |
Total Budget
| Total Budget | 2021-22 | 2020-2021 | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Budget |
$133,581,366.00 | $130,541,386.00 | $3,039,980.00 |
Transfer to Capital & Capital Outlay Exception Project
The 2021-2022 Carmel Central School District Proposed Budget includes $470,000 in the Transfer to Capital codes. This includes $100,000 for the Capital Outlay Exception Project. This
year’s Capital Outlay Exception Project is the Replacement of Unit Ventilators at Carmel High School. Other projects funded through the Transfer to Capital code will include additional unit
ventilator replacements, paving projects, and door and ceiling replacement projects district wide.
What Happens if Budget is Not Approved?
In the event the proposed 2021-22 school budget does not receive voter approval, 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 contingency budget that carries a 0% tax levy increase.
Contingency Budget
New York State requires that school districts establish a contingency spending plan in the event 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 2021-22 school year, it would carry a tax levy increase of 0%. For 2021-22 the amount of the contingent budget would be $131,916,386. To meet the contingent budget, it would require an additional $1,664,980 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 will make reductions in staffing.
What You Will See on the Ballot
Voters will be asked to consider two propositions and vote for Board of Education members on this year’s ballot.
The first proposition asks voters to consider the proposed school budget for 2021-2022. This is how it will appear on the ballot:
Proposition #1: Basic Budget
Shall the Board of Education be authorized to expend the sum of $133,581,366 during the 2021-2022 school year as a basic budget?
The second proposition is being brought before the community in order to simplify the registration process for community members, allowing voter registration five days per week at the District Office with the District Clerk, as opposed to one four-hour period with the Board of Registration. There is no additional cost to taxpayers. This is how it will appear on the ballot:
Proposition #2: Walk-In (Continuous) Registration
Shall the Board of Education of the Carmel Central School District implement a system of walk-in (continuous) voter registration from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Monday through Friday on days when the District Offices are open, at the District Clerk’s Office, 81 South Street, Patterson, NY, effective July 1, 2021.
School Board Candidate Elections
There are three (3) Board of Education seats up for election. All residents may vote on the three available seats, as well as the District’s budget.
Two seats will be filled by the two candidates with the highest number of votes for three (3)-year terms, commencing July 1, 2021, and expiring on June 30, 2024; one seat will be filled by the candidate with the third-highest number of votes for a term commencing May 19, 2021, and expiring on June 30, 2022.
Candidates are (as they will appear on the ballot):
- Michelle Yorio
- Jason Paraskeva
- Melissa Orser
- John C. Curzio II
- Tamara Harrison
The District will host a Meet the Candidates virtual event on May 11. Additional information about the virtual event will be available on www.carmelschools.org. A recording of the event will be made available after May 11.
School District Budget Notice
Budget Vote: May 18, 2021, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Registration Information & Dates
If registered for general elections in the county where you reside (Putnam or Dutchess), you are eligible to vote on May 18. You may register with the County Board of Elections by mail or remotely through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website. The County Board of Elections will accept registrations for this election until May 13, 2021.
Please direct any questions to Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at 845-878-2094, ext. 210.
Voting Locations
Registered voters must vote at their designated polling place based on address. If you are unsure of your polling place, please call Joanne Stevens, district clerk, at 845-878-2094, ext. 210:
- 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, www.carmelschools.org, or by contacting Joanne Stevens , district clerk, at 845-878-2094, ext. 210, or jstevens@carmelschools.org. No absentee ballots can be provided without completion of this New York State Board of Elections application. If an application is requested due to concern of contracting COVID, select the option of “Temporary Illness” on the application. After confirmation of the applicant’s registration status, a ballot will be issued.
Application Deadlines
- By mail: Application must be received by the District Clerk by May 11, 2021.
- In-person: Application must be received by the District Clerk by May 17, 2021.
Completed ballots must be received at the District Office by 5 p.m. on May 18, 2021.