North Syracuse board advances $233.4 million budget and places propositions for May 19 vote

The North Syracuse Central School District board on Monday advanced a $233.4 million budget for voter consideration and placed vehicle and related capital propositions on the May 19 ballot.

Business official Don Keegan and district leader Dr. Ward presented the final budget proposal, describing a 4.2% increase in spending that the district says it is balancing in part with $10.45 million of fund balance and reserves. The presentation estimated a 2.8% increase in state aid but said that the state budget had not been finalized. Keegan described the fund‑balance use as “not a sustainable method of balancing a budget” and said school leaders hope for additional state aid in the coming weeks.

Officials said the proposed local tax levy increase is 5.25%, driven largely by voter‑approved capital costs; Keegan said the operating levy excluding capital would be about 2.4%. The presentation estimated the tax impact at roughly $169 per year on a $200,000 home. The district also highlighted ongoing building aid tied to facilities projects and a plan to continue air‑conditioning and safety upgrades across schools.

The board was asked to place the budget before voters; the district emphasized that the budget must be approved by the community at the district vote scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, when polling will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Keegan and Dr. Ward said the board is recommending the budget for voter consideration rather than claiming final state aid figures.

Keegan also described the district’s reserves and fund‑balance trajectory: the district began the year with about a 3.76% fund balance and expects to end near 2.85% after using reserves to balance the 2026–27 plan. He noted planned use of specific reserves (for example, drawing down ERS and TRS reserves) and warned that the approach is not sustainable long term without revenue increases.

On the transportation side, the board heard a request to purchase a dozen replacement buses — a mix that includes wheelchair‑lift gasoline buses and two larger 65‑passenger gasoline buses intended for longer trips — and was told the district is not pursuing electric buses at this time while awaiting Albany guidance and technology maturity. District staff said they have applied for a two‑year waiver related to the electric‑bus mandate and that retired buses are typically traded in or sold as scrap after salvage of reusable equipment.

The board approved related routine agenda items that moved other district business forward, and it voted to place the budget and vehicle propositions on the ballot for voter decision on May 19.

What happens next: The budget will appear before voters on May 19; if voters reject the proposition, the district will need to pursue the legal steps for a failed budget vote under New York law. The meeting also previewed two virtual and two in‑person budget presentations scheduled as public outreach before the vote.