Annual Budget Hearing
May 7, 2024
Workbook
Presentation

Budget Newsletters were mailed to district residents on May 1st.

Budget Meeting #4
April 8, 2024
Presentation
Appropriation Status Report

Budget Meeting #3
March 4, 2024
Presentation
Admin Component Proposal
Capital Component Proposal
Revenue Proposal
Preliminary Budget

Budget Meeting #2
February 26, 2024
Handbook
Presentation
Preliminary Budget

Budget Meeting #1
January 8, 2024
Handbook
Presentation

Budget Development Process
December 18, 2023
Handbook
Presentation

Contact budget@greenvillecsd.org.

2024/25 Budget Calendar

Budget Archives

School Tax Information

Creating a balanced budget proposal that falls at or below the tax cap takes work. The goal is to balance the needs of the District with the ability of the taxpayers to support it.

As a District we continuously review the following:

• Monitor expenditures to stay within the budget and to avoid waste 

• Review staffing levels, adjusting to meet current and future needs 

  • Enrollment

  • Class size

  • Programming 

  • Special Education Students - based on their Individual Education Plan (IEP)

• Maximize “other” revenue sources

• Review existing contracts to ensure best value 

  • Annual bids and/or Request for Proposals (RFPs)

• Negotiate employee/union contracts 

• Explore efficiencies to share services

  • Transportation

  • Intermunicipal Agreements for tuitioned students

November
*Team Leaders, Department Chairs, and Administrators discuss budget needs/requests.

December
*Review the current budget, five year history, expenses to date, and budget needs/requests (staffing, supplies, equipment, and contractual expenses).

January
* Present updated budget proposals to Superintendent.
* The rollover budget is presented to the Board of Education in the three part budget component format (Program, Capital, and Administrative) at the January Business meeting.
* A rollover budget is “rolling” all expenses from the current year’s budget forward into a new budget while increasing costs that are known or presumed. It's NOT the preliminary (working budget), it serves as the starting point for budget discussions.
*The Governor’s (Executive) Budget Proposal is released. Projected proposal and actual data are used to determine aid amounts. State aid funds approximately 42% of the school budget. 

February
*Administrators present program budget component. Teacher retirement contractual notification requirement is February 1st, potential replacement breakage/attrition savings are calculated.

March
*Administrators present capital and administrative budget components.
*Health insurance rates and enrollment numbers are determined.
*All out of District student placements are reviewed and the special education needs of incoming kindergarteners are assessed.
*Preliminary tax cap calculation is generated and submitted to NYS by March 1. Real Property taxes fund approximately 53% of the school budget.
* Local and other revenue sources such as interest earnings, tuition, and fund balance are evaluated as funding sources for budget. Approximately 6% of the school budget is funded using other revenue sources.
* Estimated revenues presented to the Board.
* State budget deadline is March 31. If the legislative budget is passed, revised state aid figures are provided to the District. Business Official then revises as applicable final revenue projections.

April
* Tentative budget is presented for adoption/voter approval. Board of Education adopts a Proposed Budget to present to taxpayers.

May
* Public hearing to present the final budget.
* Budget newsletter and notice mailed to residents.
* Budget vote is held the third Tuesday in May.

New York State requires all school districts to follow the Uniform System of Accounts to plan, record, and report on all financial transactions.

Account Codes are used to show which fund money goes into.

Function Codes refer to the purpose of the expenditure. General fund expenditures and revenues are accounted for in the following major categories.

Object Codes are used as more detailed descriptors to further classify expenditures and revenues. It identifies the item purchased or service obtained.

Location Codes are used to provide details like department, location, or activity.

Program Codes are used to specify the specific program the expenditure or revenue is attributed. Greenville CSD has a large number of program codes.

Traditionally, New York used complex formulas to distribute state education aid, but in 2007-08, a new formula called Foundation Aid simplified this process by combining multiple formulas into one. Foundation Aid is based on actual education costs, adjusted for disadvantaged and special needs students, regional costs, and district wealth. Although it was meant to increase funding for high-need districts, all districts were supposed to get a 3% increase annually from 2007-08 to 2010-11, totaling a 12.55% increase. However, there was a freeze in 2009-10, and it was only fully reinstated in 2021 following a legal battle.

How is State Aid calculated?
State aid calculations use various factors, typically starting with student numbers or expenses as a basis. Some formulas provide a set amount for each student, while others reimburse districts for a portion of their costs per student, often with a maximum limit. Most formulas aim to balance wealth, giving more aid to poorer districts to level the playing field. Wealth is determined by property value and income per student compared to state averages. Some formulas have minimum state assistance guarantees, ensuring all districts get some state aid regardless of their wealth. Historically, some formulas had "save-harmless" provisions, preventing districts from receiving less aid than the previous year, but this could change if districts lost students, reduced spending, increased wealth, or outpaced state wealth growth.

In 2011, New York State implemented a tax cap, which limits the amount of property tax revenue that a school district can raise each year. The tax cap is calculated based on a formula that takes into account the district’s property values, the rate of inflation, and certain exemptions. The purpose of the tax cap is to help control property taxes and prevent them from increasing too rapidly.

On the other hand, the tax levy is the total amount of money a school district raises through property taxes to fund its budget. The tax levy is determined by the district’s financial needs such as salaries, benefits, programs, and facilities. The tax levy can also be impacted by other factors such as state aid, enrollment changes, and the need for capital improvements.

So, how does the tax cap and tax levy affect you as a taxpayer? If a district proposes a tax levy increase that is below the tax cap, then the budget can be passed with a simple majority vote. However, if the proposed tax levy increase is above the tax cap, then the budget requires a super majority vote of 60% or more to pass.

It is important to note that the tax cap does not limit your individual property tax bill rather, it limits the total amount of property tax revenue that the school district can raise. Your individual tax bill can still increase more than 2% even if the tax levy increase is below the tax cap because the school budget is not the only factor impacting your tax bill. Individual tax bills are also determined by the assessed value of your property, which can change from year to year. Greenville Central School District encompasses eleven towns, all with different formulas for assessing properties. We hope this information helps clarify some common questions regarding property tax bills and school budgets.