Mahopac board adopts $142.44M budget for 2024–25; tax levy up 1.98%

The Mahopac Central School District Board of Education on April 24 adopted a $142,443,564 budget for the 2024–25 school year, approving a 1.98% increase in the property tax levy.

Superintendent Christine Tona reviewed the district’s priorities before the vote, saying the budget aims to “maintain all academic programs and extracurricular activities, expand opportunities for our high school students through curriculum pathways, continue the bus replacement schedule, ensure components of the new strategic plan are funded and complete the transition to our new mascot.”

Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Alyssa Murray laid out the numbers, showing that 67.88% of proposed revenues come from the property tax levy and that the budget-to-budget increase is 3.25%. Murray said the district’s proposed tax levy of $96,694,787 represents a 1.98% increase and is below the district’s maximum allowable levy of 2.59%.

Board members discussed program and staffing additions explained in prior presentations: a second elementary library media specialist and an additional art teacher (curriculum additions estimated at about $322,000), added special‑education supports including a psychologist and district-employed occupational and physical therapists (special‑education and student support additions ~ $274,000), athletics and transportation increases (roughly $80,000 and $71,000 respectively), and facilities work including HVAC integration and exterior door replacement (facilities roughly $340,000). The superintendent said the total staffing and position additions discussed on the slides amount to roughly $904,000 across the listed hires.

Murray also reviewed ballot propositions tied to the vote: a bus‑purchase proposition to continue the 12‑year bus replacement plan (five 65‑passenger buses and four 30‑passenger buses, estimated $1,250,000) and a proposition to reestablish a capital reserve fund that would permit the district to access existing reserve balances for future capital work. The presentation included estimated annual tax impacts using a $500,000 assessed value: about $201.02 annually (Carmel) and $194.27 annually (Putnam Valley), with monthly impacts of about $16.

The board moved to approve the budget and conducted a roll‑call vote; each trustee present voted in favor as recorded during the meeting and the motion passed. After the vote the board also approved the property tax report card and the consent agenda.

The district will hold its required public budget hearing on May 7; the budget vote and trustee election are scheduled for May 21, when absentee and early‑voting procedures will be available as described by the district clerk.

Votes at a glance
- 2024–25 budget ($142,443,564): approved by roll‑call vote (all trustees present recorded in favor).
- Property tax report card: approved by voice vote.
- Consent agenda (includes change order described below): approved by voice vote.

What happens next
The district will present the budget at the May 7 public hearing and the community will vote on May 21. The superintendent and finance office will continue outreach and presentations to community groups and school organizations until the vote.