On Tuesday, May 20, Fayetteville-Manlius School District residents will vote on a proposed $116,419,548 budget for the 2025-26 school year, which would maintain all existing student programming, staffing levels, and mental health support resources across all school district buildings.
“As a district, our goal remains to provide a safe and secure learning environment for all students, while being mindful of rising costs,” explained Superintendent of Schools Craig J. Tice. “We are fortunate to put forth a budget that not only strengthens resources for our students and staff, but continues to support ongoing building upgrades, all while not surpassing the tax cap for our district taxpayers.”
The proposed budget represents a spending increase of 4.64 percent, or $5,164,669, and carries a 3.56 percent tax levy increase. The tax levy increase is even with the district’s tax cap as established under New York State law. That means a simple majority (50 percent of votes plus one) is needed to approve the budget.
This year’s proposed tax levy increase is primarily due to:
- Salary increases based on contractual agreements
- Higher insurance premium costs, as determined by carriers
- New classroom furniture and equipment related to ongoing capital projects
- Higher electric costs and more projected usage with added building air conditioning as mandated by the new Maximum Temperature in School Buildings law.
Included in the proposed budget is funding to cover debt payments for the current $52 million high school capital project. Building aid will offset that debt beginning in 2027, continuing through 2041. The district is planning for a busy summer of continued capital project work at the high school, including: replacing the science wing roof, finishing the new broadcast journalism studio, completing the new cafeteria expansion, opening five new classrooms inside the former main office, and adding new rooftop Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units.
A portion of the proposed budget also accounts for transportation needs, including funding for a new plow truck and a new maintenance van, both necessary purchases for continued upkeep to ensure student safety on school grounds. The district’s fuel storage tank also needs to be replaced, as it has reached the end of its useful life (30-year warranty).
The proposed budget supports the district’s plan to build upon its special education programs, allowing more students to stay and learn in their home district while receiving the support and resources they need. Over the course of the past four years, F-M has increased its special education offerings in-district, resulting in significantly fewer students having to access BOCES programs.
In order to offset rising costs, the district will mainly utilize its two primary revenue sources: state aid and the tax levy. Other smaller revenue sources, such as interest income, make up the district’s total revenue.
State aid accounts for approximately 30 percent of the district’s 2025-26 budget revenue. The state’s proposal shows F-M receiving a total allocation of $34,843,702 for 2025-26, which is a $830,871 increase in state aid compared to the current school year. State aid in the form of Foundation Aid totals $19,888,677, which is a $483,863 increase for the 2025-26 school year. Foundation Aid is the district’s primary source of funding for daily school operations.
The tax levy, which is the total amount the district raises through school property taxes, accounts for 64.5 percent of the district’s 2025-26 proposed budget revenue. There are several factors that dictate how an individual’s school tax bill is calculated. Tax rates are not solely determined by the tax levy approved by voters; they are also affected by changes in assessed values of properties by the towns within the school district, and the state using equalization rates, designed to equally distribute the tax burden across municipalities within a district—none of which are within the district’s control. Tax bills can also be affected by STAR or other exemptions for which individual taxpayers may qualify.
The budget proposal was adopted by the F-M Board of Education on April 21. The public budget hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 12 at 6 p.m. in the Eagle Hill Middle School auditorium.