Voters in the Odessa-Montour Central School District will decide next Tuesday on a proposed $23.39 million budget for the 2026-27 school year that would exceed the state tax cap for the first time in district history.
District officials say rising costs — particularly employee health insurance, special education services and career and technical education expenses — are driving the increase. The proposed budget totals $23,390,156, up roughly $828,000 from the current year. Health insurance costs alone are expected to rise by approximately $408,000.
The proposed property tax levy would increase by about $738,000 to $6.4 million, while state foundation aid is expected to rise by less than $203,000. Board President Robert Halpin said the district has historically kept levy increases modest, averaging about 1.6% annually over the past 14 years, but warned that state aid growth is no longer keeping pace with operating costs.
Because the proposal exceeds the district’s tax levy limit of 3.12%, it will require approval from at least 60% of voters.
The budget proposal includes spending increases tied to instructional salaries, BOCES career and technical education programs and special education services. District officials said a major reduction in debt service payments — approximately $749,000 less than the current year — helped offset some of those added costs.
Projected tax rates would increase across all municipalities in the district. In the Town of Catharine, for example, the projected rate would rise from $9.63 to $10.88 per $1,000 of assessed value, while the projected rate in Cayuta would increase from $13.76 to $15.55.
District voters will also decide on several additional propositions, including authorization to purchase three new buses using up to $526,000 from the transportation reserve fund, separate library tax propositions for the Dutton S. Peterson Memorial Library and Montour Falls Memorial Library, and creation of a new technology capital reserve fund of up to $800,000.
Two incumbents — Kyle VanGalder and Jennifer Mosher — are running for two open seats on the Board of Education.
Voting will take place from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, in the district conference room.
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