The Sayville School District presented an updated budget on April 16 and a finalized budget on April 23.

While contingencies were made to allow for the nearly $3.5 million deficit in foundation aid from New York State, the legislature restored the funds.

With the budget meetings commencing in late fall of 2023, assistant superintendent for business, certified public accountant, Rhonda Meserole, said, the “challenging” process had been “collaborative and thoughtful.”

The revised proposed budget is a budget-to-budget increase of $3,979,740 or 3.9 percent.

This, however, will result in a decrease in the projected tax levy increase of 3.7 percent as opposed to the original 3.996 percent proposed earlier in the year.

With the maximum allowable levy cap at 3.996 percent and the proposed budget coming in under that, only a simple majority of the votes will be needed for approval.

The 2024-2025 tax levy reflects a $2,354,865 increase over this year’s through a tax base growth factor of 1.0029.

This year’s allowable tax levy is up from last year’s levy of 2.85 percent and historic lows during the pandemic years (1.00 percent, .61 percent, 1.72 percent).

With the restoration of foundation aid from the state, the change was a decrease of $1,383.

BOCES Aid increased by $209,297, building aid by $513,086 and transportation aid by $247,841.

The popular universal pre-K program will be expanding to eight classes of 138 students as the allotment is $5,400 per student with an increase in this year’s overall budget of $64,798.

The lion’s share of the restored $3.4 million that was scheduled to be withheld will be the restoration of excessed teaching staff, reduction of class size, and associated employee benefits at $1,334,562.

Curriculum (e.g., professional development, instructional programming, STEAM and enrichment) and equipment and facilities projects each would be restored $396,900.

The main projected revenue source is property taxes which account for 62 percent of the budget, approximately $66 million.

State aid is the second largest revenue source at $29,126,346 million or 27 percent.

Over half of the projected expenditures will go towards professional salaries ($37,900,226 or 36 percent) and employee benefits ($26,802,267 or 25 percent).

At $6,259,470 or 6 percent of the expenditures is the district’s debt service (e.g., principal and interest on short- and long-term borrowings like tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, serial bonds, and energy performance contracts) which has increased 24.72 percent since 2020, or an average of 4.94 percent over the past five years.

The district has “very competitive interest rates” according to Meserole because of the Moody’s Bond Rating of Aa1.

The district entered into a five-year contract with Suffolk Transportation for “cost predictability” and “continuing of service” according to Meserole and would be serving its fifth year in the 2024-2025 school year.

This year’s budget has an increase of $16,026 or .34 percent change for transportation costs.

In 2023-2024 there were a total of 193 transportation routes:

• 116 large-bus routes (with 49 morning runs and 67 afternoon runs)
• 73 van routes (35 morning runs, 38 afternoon runs)
• Four private/parochial schools runs

The average cost for a large bus this year was $100,309 and will increase in 2024-2025 to $103,620.

The average cost for a van this year was  $81,570 and will increase in 2024-205 to $84,262.30.

Should the budget vote fail twice, the district must adopt a contingent budget with a zero percent increase on the current tax levy.

Under a contingent budget, program and support reductions of $2,354,865 would have to be made.