Voters approve school district’s revised 2024-25 budget

CAZENOVIA — On June 18, voters in the Cazenovia Central School District (CCSD) approved a revised school budget proposal for the 2024-25 school year.

The $38,427,222 budget carries an estimated 4.02 percent tax levy increase and represents a 5.19 percent increase over the 2023-24 budget.

Residents approved the revised budget by a vote of 1,127 to 546 after rejecting CCSD’s original $38,826,826 spending proposal by 34 votes on May 21.

The district’s original plan was to maintain academic and support programming while closing this year’s budget gap with an estimated 5.84 percent tax levy increase, the use of $1,641,005 in fund balance, some restored state aid, and $399,295 in spending cuts, including the use of attrition and restructuring of several BOCES services.

Two days after the budget proposal was defeated at the polls, the CCSD Board of Education reviewed new recommendations from the district. Ultimately, the board adopted the revised budget proposal, which is at the district’s calculated tax levy limit of 4.02 percent and includes a reduction of $399,604 compared to the rejected proposal.

According to a message from Superintendent Christopher DiFulvio to the CCSD community, the district will reduce the budget by $399,604 by cutting a reading teacher and an instructional coach and making reductions to athletics and technology. In addition, the district has fewer participating employees in its health insurance, which results in a cost reduction.

Because the revised budget does not exceed the tax levy limit, it required a simple majority vote — 50 percent + 1 — for authorization rather than the supermajority — 60 percent or more — needed for the original budget proposal to pass.

If voters had rejected the revised proposal, state law would have required the district to enact a contingency budget, requiring an additional $885,248 in cuts.

“We’re thankful to the community for passing this revised budget and supporting our schools,” DiFulvio said in the message. “It was a difficult budget season, and we’re thankful for everyone who has been involved throughout the process. Although we need to make some reductions under this revised budget, we will continue to provide our students with the best educational experience possible. We’re looking forward to the year ahead.”

To learn more about CCSD, visit cazenoviacsd.com.

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