Elwood Schedules Budget Re-Vote After 2025-26 Proposed Budget Fails

ELWOOD, NY — The Elwood School District has put forth a revised budget after its 2025-26 proposed budget was voted down on May 20.

The re-vote is scheduled for 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 17 at the Elwood Middle School Cafeteria.

The proposed budget presented to the voters on May 20 at the annual budget vote included a tax levy of 4.20 percent, which required a 60 percent passing rate as it exceeded the cap of 1.29 percent. The budget did not pass, as it had 982 yes votes to 830 no votes — 54.19 percent voting yes. The district's proposed budget was $79,395,286, up 3.43 percent from last year's.

The district is recommending a revised budget of $78,566,259 for adoption, which voters will decide upon on June 17. This budget would include a tax levy of 2.64 percent and was developed by making additional reductions from the 4.20 percent levy budget in the amount of $829,027. This brings the total amount of reductions made throughout the budget process to $1,935,030.

The budget re-vote will still require a supermajority — 60 percent — to pass, as the proposed tax

levy of 2.64 percent is above the allowable tax cap.

If the supermajority once again fails, the Elwood Board of Education must adopt a contingent budget.

The contingent budget would total $77,163,290. This will require further reductions from the proposed budget totaling $1,402,969, according to the district.

The Elwood School District listed two other potential options it had:

• Re-adopt the same budget that was presented on May 20 for a re-vote on June 17.
• Immediately adopt a contingency budget. This requires a 0.00 percent levy increase for the 2025/2026 school year and would require reductions to expenditures in the amount of $2,231,996.