Mahopac Central School District presents $148.37 million 2026–27 budget, highlights bus purchase and new capital reserve propositions

The Mahopac Central School District on June 30, 2025 presented a proposed $148,369,090 budget for the 2026–27 school year, a presenter said, marking a 2.23% budget‑to‑budget increase and a proposed tax levy of $94,027,287 that the presenter described as translating to a 0% levy increase for taxpayers.

The proposal centers program spending on students and preserves current academic programs and extracurricular activities, the presenter said. "Our proposed budget is $148,369,090," the presenter stated, adding that salary and benefits make up the majority of spending — roughly three quarters of the total — and that the program portion represents about 83% of the budget.

Why it matters: the district is also asking voters to approve several propositions alongside the budget. Proposition 2 would fund purchase of 10 diesel buses at a total cost of $1,600,000 as part of a 12‑year replacement plan; the presenter said retiring buses average more than 80,000 miles and more than a decade of service. Proposition 3 would establish a new capital reserve that could be funded up to $10,000,000 over 10 years if voters approve it.

Transportation and facilities: the presenter said the district plans to buy radios districtwide to end leases; that purchase has a large up‑front cost but lower ongoing maintenance, and staff are conducting a cost‑benefit analysis. On fleet electrification, the presenter said full electrification by 2035 would cost about $40,000,000, so the district intends to continue buying conventional buses in the near term.

Revenue context and taxpayer impact: state aid was described as about 30% of the budget but still preliminary; the presenter noted final state figures could change the budget gap. Using an example of a $500,000 assessed home, the presenter said the annual tax change would be small: Town of Carmel about $4.35 per year (roughly $0.36 per month) and Town of Huntley Valley about $1.25 per year (roughly $0.15 per month).

Reserves and rules: the presenter reviewed the district's reserve balances as of 06/30/2025 and noted an existing capital reserve balance of about $5.4 million; if Proposition 4 were passed, that account could no longer receive new deposits and the district would use a new reserve established by Proposition 3 for future allocations.

Voting dependencies and next steps: the presenter summarized Propositions 4, 5 and 6 and said Propositions 4 and 5 must pass for Proposition 6 to be eligible on the ballot. The board opened the meeting for public comment after the presentation; no formal board vote on the 2026–27 budget was recorded in the transcript.

The district encouraged residents to consult detailed Proposition information on the district website and noted it is monitoring the state budget process for final aid numbers that could affect the plan.