Greenville voters approve $38.9 million school budget

UPDATED RESULTS:

$38,901,750 budget – PASSED, 794-330

Capital Reserve Fund - PASSED, 809-314

$1,013,911 bus proposition – PASSED, 792-327

Greenville Public Library appropriation – PASSED, 920-208

Rensselaerville Public Library appropriation – PASSED,827-296

Board of Education (four seats):

Kelly Hubicki – 781 (3-year term)

Karen Overbaugh – 730 (3-year term)

Eric Herbstritt – 685 (1-year term)

Patrick Wynne – 644 (1-year term)

James Bucci - 537

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GREENVILLE―Voters in the Greenville Central School District will head to the polls later this month to decide on a $38,901,750 budget that increases spending by $1,257,524 over the current year.

It comes with an estimated 3.86% tax levy hike that is below the district’s state tax cap of 4.17%.

The percentage of the proposed 2026-27 budget covered by local property taxes is 50.68%, up $732,776 from $18,983,828 to $19,716,605.

State Aid is projected at $17,154,186, or 44.1% of total 2026-27 revenue, and is up $580,636 from this year.

One of the main factors driving the increase is contractual services and tuition that are rising by $574,385. According to the district, these costs are for students who require specialized out-of-district placement and transportation that the school is required to provide.

Another line item going up is salaries and benefits, rising $549,939 from $26,542,643 this year to $27,092,582―accounting for 69.64% of the total budget.

“To balance the budget, the administration reviewed all areas for cost savings. The proposed budget includes not filling four vacant positions: three due to retirements (the K-12 technology coach, one ELA instructional coach, and one reading interventionist) and one unfilled bus driver position” the district stated.

“These are reductions in positions, not people. They affect only vacant positions as of July 1 and will not impact class sizes. These reductions will save the district roughly $335,000. Administrators are confident that programs and student services will continue to thrive,” the district added.

No cuts are being made to programs, and all academic and extracurricular activities will be preserved.

Also on the ballot is a bus purchase proposition, not to exceed $1,013,911, that would allow the district to purchase two small and four large diesel buses before the New York State electric vehicle bus mandate takes effect. Under the law, schools will be prohibited from buying diesel buses after June 30, 2027.

“State aid will cover approximately 63.5% of the cost, resulting in an estimated maximum expense to the district of $370,000 for all six buses. No electric buses will be added to the fleet at this time,” the district reported.

“An extension for the EV bus mandate has been requested by the district, with a response expected this summer,” the district added.

The district is also seeking to establish a capital reserve fund, which is essentially a voter-approved savings account for future capital and construction projects. Creating the fund does not impact the budget.

Two other propositions ask for a $600 increase for the Greenville Public Library, for a total cost of $45,700, and a $610 increase for the Rensselaerville Library, for a total cost of $31,128.

Voters will also be electing four members to the seven-member board of education. On the ballot are James Bucci, Kelly Hubicki, Patrick Wynne, Eric Herbstritt and Karen Overbaugh.

Two of the seats, currently held by Hubicki and Herbstritt, are three year terms. The other two are one-year terms to fill seats vacated by the resignations of James Goode, Jr. and Angela Mauriello. Bucci and Overbaugh were appointed to temporarily fill these positions.

Voting takes place from 1-9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at the elementary school cafeteria.