At its April 23 meeting, the Cohoes City School District Board of Education adopted a proposed $54,865,497 spending plan for the 2025-26 school year that will go before voters on Tuesday, May 20.
The planning process began with each of the district’s schools and departments conducting a needs assessment. The assessments and subsequent proposals were submitted to the district’s budget committee. The budget committee then conducted a return on investment analysis and made recommendations to the Board of Education of what should be included in the 2025-26 budget.
The proposed plan represents a 2% increase, or $362,131, to the tax levy, which is below the allowable levy limit of 3.67%. Because the proposed tax levy is below the district’s allowable state-calculated limit, a simple majority (50% plus 1) is needed for approval.
For a home with a market value of $150,000, the estimated tax increase would be about $60 annually, or $5 per month (before STAR exemptions).
What’s included in the proposal?
The proposed budget includes the addition of a computer support technician, a part-time campus safety monitor at the middle school, bringing the total number of monitors to three, and a stipend for the coordination of district wide school safety personnel. The proposal also establishes an alternative education program for students in grades 8-10.
Capital Reserve Proposition
In addition to the annual budget vote, residents will also consider a $2 million capital reserve project focused on health and safety improvements across district buildings. This project will be fully funded by the district’s existing capital reserve fund and will not impact the tax levy.
Planned improvements include:
- Upgraded exterior lighting at Harmony Hill School
- Construction of a new walk-in cooler at Abram Lansing Elementary
- Construction of a new walk-in cooler at Cohoes Middle School
- Upgraded exterior lighting, replacement of auditorium lighting, enhancements to the cafeteria courtyard and outdoor learning area, and construction of a new athletic storage shed at Cohoes High School
Board of Education election
Voters will also elect three members to the Cohoes City School District Board of Education, each to serve a three-year term beginning July 1, 2025. The Board of Education is responsible for policies and regulations governing public education in the district.
To appear on the ballot, interested candidates have until April 28 to submit completed petitions.
Locations
The annual school budget vote and Board of Education election will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20 at the district’s three polling locations: Abram Lansing Elementary, Harmony Hill School and Van Schaick Grade School. Details of the proposed budget will be mailed to all district residents following the budget hearing on May 7. For full information, please visit the Budget & Taxes section of our website: https://www.cohoes.org/budget-taxes.
View the April 23 budget presentation here (PDF).
If you are unable to access this, please contact the Communications Dept. at communications@cohoes.org.
The Board will hold a public hearing on its proposed budget at 6 p.m. on May 7 in the Cohoes Middle School Library.