The Oyster Bay-East Norwich Board of Education discussed changes to the district’s tax levy for the 2025-2026 budget, anticipating a 2.91% increase.
Deputy Superintendent Maureen Raynor said the district’s anticipated revenue budget is $67.7 million, an increase of over $2 million from last year. The budget comprises the district’s tax levy, state aid and other sources of revenue.
“Our budget follows the district’s mission of empowering all students to achieve excellence,” Raynor said. She said the school board aims to achieve improved student learning, steady financial operations and community pride with its annual budget.
Raynor said the state comptroller’s multi-step formula dictates the allowable tax levy. She said that although the same formula is used state-wide, each district receives a different levy based on factors such as the previous year’s levy, property taxes, PILOT payments and capital exclusions.
Raynor said that using the formula, the district’s allowable tax levy increase is 2.91%. The district proposes a 2.91% increase in next year’s budget, indicating a $59.8 million tax levy.
Raynor said the tax levy accounts for 88% of the revenue in the 2025-2026 budget. She said 5% comes from state aid and 7% comes from reserves, fund balance and other revenues.
“88% of it does come from our community and our tax levy, which is why it’s so important—and the board has been so committed—to staying within the allowable tax levy cap,” Raynor said.
She said the district will see an increase of over 7% in its total state funding this year, totaling at almost $4.4 million.
Raynor said the increase was “largely” due to funding for the universal pre-kindergarten program, which received a 54% increase from last year and now totals approximately $1 million. The program received 68 applications for the 2025-2026 school year, resulting in four classes.
The district is also set to receive a 2% increase to its Foundation Aid, per the governor’s budget. Oyster Bay-East Noriwch schools will receive $1.9 million with the increase.
“We were very happy to see that our Foundation Aid receives a 2% increase,” Raynor said. She said the increase is “very positive” for the district.
Raynor said next year’s budget would have the same amount of appropriated reserves and appropriated fund balance as the previous year, which she said showcases the district’s “strong financial health and condition ” when considering inflation rates.
She said the revenue budget will be the same amount as the expense budget, which will be presented on at the March 25 board of education meeting.
The budget will be adopted on April 22, a budget hearing will take place on May 6, and the community will vote on it on May 20.
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