Budget Information

School officials focused on keeping the tax levy increase at 2% while ensuring that students would have the appropriate level of faculty and staff in each building based on need and student enrollment.

• Program initiatives include the addition of one special education teacher position to support the creation of a Life Skills class for Catskill Middle School students with special needs.
• Efficiency measures include the elimination of three elementary teacher positions, one physical education teacher position, one business teacher position, one teacher of the visually impaired position, one teaching assistant position, and one teacher aide position from the budget. These budget reductions are the result of lower student enrollment and do not cut student programs. They were largely achieved through retirements, resignations, and not filling vacant positions. The budget also reduces spending for the BOCES Alternative Learning Program due to fewer students requiring this service.

Contrary to popular belief, the NYS Property Tax Cap does not cap tax increases at 2 percent. Instead, public schools must use a state formula each year to determine the amount they can increase their tax levies by without having to seek a higher percentage of voter approval for the budget. This threshold is usually different each year and may be above or below 2%. The district must determine its tax cap number and submit it to the state by March 1st of each year.

For 2023, Catskill’s allowable tax levy increase, or “cap,” is 3.52%.

If the year-to-year increase of the District’s tax levy (portion of the school budget funded by property tax) is at or below the number determined by the formula (the “cap”), a simple majority (50% + 1) of voter approval is needed to pass the budget. If the District puts before voters a budget that carries a tax levy increase above the number determined by the formula, a super majority (60%) of voter approval is needed for the budget to pass.

What is a Tax Levy?

The tax levy is the dollar amount that is raised by annual property tax to fund the budget. It provides a portion of the total funding for the budget; the other major source of funding comes from state aid.

What is Fund Balance?

Fund balance is a reserve similar to a savings account; when District expenses are less than expected, or revenues are higher than projected, money remaining at the end of the year is held in the fund balance. The District utilizes fund balance each year as revenue in the budget to minimize spending cuts and hold down tax increases. The District allocated $3,576,422 of fund balance to reduce this year’s tax levy increase.

What Happens if Voters Do Not Approve the Budget?

If voters do not approve the budget proposal on May 16, the Board of Education has the following options: put the same budget or a revised budget up for vote on June 20, 2023, or adopt a contingency budget. If the budget proposition is again defeated on June 20,  the Board must adopt a contingency budget.

A contingency budget holds the tax levy increase at 0%, regardless of inflation, contractual obligations, and other cost increases incurred by the District. However, all state mandated programs, including those not funded by state aid, would need to be retained. A contingency budget also prevents spending on new equipment, except when concerning safety, and limits public use of District facilities. These regulations mean that the Board would need to cut $406,701 from the current budget proposal. Cuts could potentially include program reductions in instructional and non-instructional areas, reductions in interscholastic sports programs, the elimination of all equipment purchases that are unrelated to safety, and reductions in BOCES services.

Voter Qualifications

To be eligible to vote you must be:
• A citizen of the United States 18 years of age or older
• A resident of the Catskill Central School District for a period of 30 days or more directly preceding the date of the vote
• Registered to vote with either the School District or the Greene County Board of Elections

Voter Registration

You must be registered with either the County Board of Elections or the Catskill Central School District to vote on the School Budget and Board of Education Election. The voters of the District have approved a system of walk-in voter registration, available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on days when the District Offices at the District Clerk’s Office, 343 West Main Street, Catskill, NY.

 Absentee Ballots

Applications for absentee ballots may be applied for at the Office of the Board Clerk, 343 West Main Street, Catskill, New York. Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the Board Clerk at least seven (7) days prior to the election and vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot will be picked up personally by the voter at the Office of the Board Clerk.

Current Year’s Budget

2023 Board of Education Election