Budget, Bus Buy, Board Vote on MCS Ballot

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh Central School voters will cast ballots on a $25.6 million budget,  a bus purchase proposition, and one school board seat on Tuesday.

The vote will be held on Tuesday, May 19 from noon to 9pm in the MCS High School gym lobby.

All absentee and early mail ballots must be received by the district by 5pm on Tuesday.

The MCS ballot will include:

* A $25.6 million budget for the 2025-26 school year that holds a 1.5 percent tax levy increase.

To fill the final budget gap, MCS will be using the district's CASHIC Medical & Rx Subsidy to pay for one month's insurance premium cost.

The proposed budget is up by about $516,000 or 2.06 percent over this year's plan.

The budget proposal carries a tax levy increase of 1.5 percent, the same as last year. This would increase the levy to $10.7 million, a hike of $158,486.

State aid is up by $397,679 or 3.13 percent to $13.1 million but there is a good possibility that the aid could increase when the state budget is finalized. It was due on April 1.

* Incumbent Bonnie Snyder is running for re-election for the lone expiring board seat. The seat is for three years.

* School Bus Purchase  to buy two 48-passenger buses with luggage compartments, one 24-passenger bus with air conditioning, and one minivan for up to $523,000.

The district will withdraw $35,324 from the Capital (Bus) Reserve to reduce local share of cost. The 48 passenger buses will have gas engines. Transportation aid covers 76 percent of cost for all four vehicles or $381,790 State Aid.