Linda Macias, the assistant superintendent for business at the Floral Park-Bellerose School District, gave the Board of Education a presentation on the second draft of the 2023-2024 proposed budget during the Feb. 9 meeting. 

The $39.5 million proposal would be a 9.74% increase from the 2022-2023 budget, which is $36 million. 

The 20-minute presentation went through an overview of revenues and expenditures with a focus on the tax levy and tax cap. The January presentation on the first proposal had an overview of the transportation budget while the third presentation in March will focus on curriculum, instruction and special education. 

The board is expected to vote on adopting the budget in April ahead of a final vote from district residents in May. 

There is a 7.52% increase in revenues from last year’s budget with a 1.60% tax levy increase over the prior year’s levy, Macias said. Goals for the budget include aligning with the board’s goals, reducing expenses without impacting programs or staff and finding fiscally responsible recommendations that are student- and data-driven.

“Based on the calculation of the New York State comptroller’s formula, the district can opt to increase the tax levy by up to $420,571,” Macias said.

The governor’s state aid proposal in the tentative budget includes more than $2 million from last year, amounting to a 28.61% increase. Within that, the current proposal has a $1.9 million increase, or 36%, in foundation aid. 

The foundation aid formula, established in 2007, uses factors like pupil needs and regional costs to help determine how much state aid a school district should receive.

“We are incredibly thankful to our legislators for supporting us in this effort,” Macias said. “We still have work to do in order to make sure that the formula is calculated appropriately and we will continue to analyze that.”

There is an 18% increase in the equipment line item of expenditures, which Macias said mainly stems from the district planning on outfitting the kindergarten classes with new furniture and purchasing equipment to monitor the district’s oil tanks for necessary emergencies. 

“We’re doing this as a preventative measure in the event that if our systems fail, we have a backup system and we can have our oil tanks heat our buildings,” Macias said. 

Resource allocation for the proposed budget includes 79% to programs, 12% to capital projects and 9% to administrative costs.

The next meeting for the Floral Park-Bellerose Board of Education will be on Monday, March 6, which will include a third draft of the proposed budget.