Tri Valley briefs voters on proposed 2026–27 budget, recommends 2.99% tax-levy request
March 13, 2026 | TRI-VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
Superintendent Aaron Long presented the Tri Valley Central School District's proposed 2026–27 budget, saying the district expects an approximate 4% overall increase and a total budget near $39.6 million. "Overall, we are looking at about a 4% increase on our budget for 2627, so moving to about a $39,600,000 budget," Long said.
Long broke the budget into three components: a capital component projected to fall about 8%, an administrative component that is up roughly 11.8% (largely attributed to corrected budget coding), and a program component projected to rise about 4.7%. He reported expected tax collections of about $22.8 million and an estimated 2.2% increase in foundation aid (to roughly $12.735 million). The administration recommended asking voters to authorize a 2.99% tax-levy increase this year, which Long said balances fiscal responsibility with protecting programming.
The superintendent warned of possible cuts to federal grant funding the district relies on for interventions and extracurricular programs. "We are planning for probably a 26% decrease in our federal dollars," Long said, urging prudence when setting the levy.
Long also reviewed contingency‑budget rules should voters reject the budget: a contingency levy would lock the district to a 0% increase in the tax levy for the fiscal year, bar most non–health-and-safety purchases, restrict administrative spending under prescribed formulas, and could force the district to charge community groups to use school facilities. He said the district is preparing early supply orders and other measures to limit exposure to anticipated cost increases in next year’s bids.
The administration said voter registration occurs in the district office (4–8 p.m. on the announced date) and that the school budget vote is scheduled for May 19 in the secondary school lower-level gym from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Long said auditors will close the books over the summer and the administration expects to report a precise unassigned fund-balance percentage after that process.
Next steps: the board will consider the proposed levy at upcoming meetings and will finalize the budget for the May vote.
Long broke the budget into three components: a capital component projected to fall about 8%, an administrative component that is up roughly 11.8% (largely attributed to corrected budget coding), and a program component projected to rise about 4.7%. He reported expected tax collections of about $22.8 million and an estimated 2.2% increase in foundation aid (to roughly $12.735 million). The administration recommended asking voters to authorize a 2.99% tax-levy increase this year, which Long said balances fiscal responsibility with protecting programming.
The superintendent warned of possible cuts to federal grant funding the district relies on for interventions and extracurricular programs. "We are planning for probably a 26% decrease in our federal dollars," Long said, urging prudence when setting the levy.
Long also reviewed contingency‑budget rules should voters reject the budget: a contingency levy would lock the district to a 0% increase in the tax levy for the fiscal year, bar most non–health-and-safety purchases, restrict administrative spending under prescribed formulas, and could force the district to charge community groups to use school facilities. He said the district is preparing early supply orders and other measures to limit exposure to anticipated cost increases in next year’s bids.
The administration said voter registration occurs in the district office (4–8 p.m. on the announced date) and that the school budget vote is scheduled for May 19 in the secondary school lower-level gym from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Long said auditors will close the books over the summer and the administration expects to report a precise unassigned fund-balance percentage after that process.
Next steps: the board will consider the proposed levy at upcoming meetings and will finalize the budget for the May vote.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
