Daniel T. Connor
Superintendent

227 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
(845) 615-6720

District news

Board of Education adopts 2012-13 proposed budget

April 18, 2012 - At a meeting on April 16, the Board of Education adopted a $61,613,356 proposed budget for 2012-13. This budget represents a spending increase of 2.39 percent, and will result in a tax levy increase of 2.21 percent – an increase that meets the district’s legal limit under the new tax levy cap legislation.

Voters will also vote to authorize the purchase of four new school buses and select among eight candidates for three open seats on the Board of Education. Learn more about propositions

Challenges include loss in federal aid, rising costs and constraints of new tax levy cap law

In order to balance the budget for next year, Goshen had to close a budget gap of $712,134 – the result of rising costs for contractual salaries, retirement and health insurance premiums, the loss of Education Jobs Fund monies, and the constraints of the new tax levy cap law.

In the wake of these challenges, the district built the proposed budget so that vital student programs and employee positions were preserved as much as possible – while meeting its maximum allowable levy of 2.21 percent, which will need a simple majority of 50 percent plus one for approval. Learn more about the tax levy cap

“It was our intention to create a budget that retained important academic programs,” said Superintendent Daniel Connor. “At the same time, the new tax levy cap legislation gives voters the expectations of tax relief, and we want to meet their expectations as much as possible without sacrificing our educational standards.”

Goshen will receive an increase of $603,669 in state aid for next year (approximately $389,000 more than the district originally anticipated). However, even with the increase, state aid levels are still only slightly more than what the district received in 2005-06.

In addition, the district will lose federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, known as the Education Jobs Fund (EJF). The funding will end on June 30, and the district’s loss of EJF – $634,341 – was not included in the state aid figure. Losing these funds turns what appears to be an approximate $603,669 gain in state aid into an approximate $30,672 loss in aid over the current year.

Still, the district was able to retain programs and staff, with no cuts – only limited reductions in specific BOCES programs, supplies and contractual agreements. In addition, there are no staff cuts in 2012-13, although vacated positions will be left unfilled.

Details about the proposed budget will be mailed to district residents in early May and will also be posted on the website. Stay tuned for more detailed information.