REGION – School districts across Sullivan County and the region will hold budget and board of education seat elections on Tuesday, May 19. Read on for information about: Eldred, Fallsburg, Liberty, Monticello, Pine Bush, Rockland, Sullivan West and Tri-Valley school districts.

ELDRED

Eldred voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, casting their votes on three separate ballot measures. Proposition 1 will be a vote on the budget, which is coming in at $20,847,888 representing a 2.45% tax levy increase. 

The election will be held on May 19 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Junior/Senior High School, 600 State Route 55, Eldred.

Superintendent Traci Ferreira says the budget is fiscally conservative, but no programs or staffing will be cut. The budget includes expansions in some areas, including expanding morning enrichment programs and extracurricular activities and clubs at George Ross Mackenzie Elementary School. And at the Eldred Junior-Senior High School the district will be expanding the college access program by offering free SUNY Sullivan tuition to students taking SUNY Sullivan courses during high school.

“We are mindful of our declining enrollment and have positioned the district to be able to continue the strong instructional programs, extracurricular activities and athletics without burdening the taxpayers by going over the tax cap,” Ferreira said.

She added that the main factors driving this budget are the rising costs of employee benefits and instructional costs; employee benefits rose 5.45% and instructional costs increased by 4%.

The second proposition on the ballot is to pay $52,000 to the Sunshine Hall Free Library. 

The third proposition is regarding the purchase of school buses. According to the superintendent, the district needs to purchase buses prior to the 2027 purchasing deadline for diesel vehicles.  

After July 1, 2027, all school districts are prohibited from purchasing or leasing any new buses that are diesel. The proposed ballot measure is $2.5 million for 11 66-passenger buses, one 44-passenger bus and one 30-passenger bus. The two smaller buses will be mainly for athletic and field trips. 

“Right now the lead time for bus builds is one and a half years,” Ferreira explained. “This order is for the 2027-2028 school year. The buses we currently have are under a five-year lease, which ends September of 2027. The purchase of diesel buses will assist the district in extending the timeline of purchasing electric buses from 2027 to 2035.”

District voters will also vote for school board members—two seats are open with two candidates running, Justin Brundage and Margaret “Meg” Blaut.

FALLSBURG 

On April 16, 2026, the Fallsburg Central School District Board of Education approved a budget proposal for the 2026-2027 school year. The proposed budget is $68,358,489, which has a corresponding tax levy increase of 1.5%.

According to the district, the marginal increase is consistent with years of low budget-related tax levies. Despite increasing costs, the district has sought to support student needs while remaining mindful of the financial impact on taxpayers.

All programs remain intact with this budget. State aid will account for 63.80% of the budget, while 29.34% is derived from real property taxes. The remaining balance is funded through transfers, interest and earnings, and the appropriated fund balance.

Fallsburg residents will vote on the proposed budget and three board of education seats on Tuesday, May 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Board of Education meeting room, which is located at the Fallsburg Junior-Senior High School. Board Members Colleen Picciotti, Renee Kates and Dr. Verna Greer are running as incumbents.

For more information about the budget vote and board of education election, visit www.fallsburgcsd.net/district/budget_and_tax_information or contact the Superintendent’s office at 845-434-6800 extension 1215.

LIBERTY 

Representatives from Liberty Central School District attended the Liberty Town Board meeting on May 5th to talk about the proposed 2026-2027 budget.

Liberty Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan and Assistant Superintendent for Business Maureen McKenna presented the district’s proposed $72 million budget for the upcoming school year, representing a 5.14% increase over last year. Despite the increase, district officials said the tax levy would remain flat for residents.

District leaders emphasized that the budget was developed with a focus on maintaining educational programming, staffing, student support services, athletics, and technology upgrades while remaining fiscally responsible. 

Sullivan noted that Liberty schools serve a diverse student population of approximately 1,700 to 1,800 students with roughly 70% classified as economically disadvantaged.

McKenna explained that Liberty recently achieved full foundation aid funding from New York State for the first time after being underfunded for nearly two decades. However, officials expressed concern over uncertainty around the still unapproved state budget and how future aid calculations may impact the district.

The school budget vote is taking place May 19.

PINE BUSH  

 It’ll soon be proposed budget voting time for the Pine Bush School community according to Pine Bush School Director of Transportation and Registration Kurt Wickham, who discussed the spending plan at last Tuesday night’s Town of Mamakating board meeting.

Addressing the board and the community, Wickham gave an overview of the proposed budget as he acknowledged unease surrounding delayed state budget negotiations.

“We know the state budget was due April first, right? It’s not going to happen,” stated Wickham. “We hope it passes by Saturday [May 9].”

Even with uncertainty at the state level, the Pine Bush Board of Education still had to move forward and adopt a proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school year.

Wickham stated that the proposed spending plan totals $153,150,596 and is designed to maintain existing academic programs, athletics, and co-curricular activities throughout the district.

The proposed budget represents about a 2.2 percent increase over the current year’s budget, while the proposed tax levy would increase by about 3.42 percent, remaining within the district’s allowable tax levy limit.

Wickham then shifted focus to the impact on local homeowners, explaining that a home assessed at approximately $400,000 would see an increase of about $200 annually, or roughly $17 per month.

Speaking on the financial planning process, Wickham added that limited increases in state aid required the district to carefully balance costs without overburdening taxpayers.

Part of that budget planning process also involved staffing levels, where Wickham stated that several positions had been abolished through reallocations and retirements, though he does not expect any current layoffs.

“We’re going to be able to keep those staff,” Wickham assured, adding that the district could still provide students with educational opportunities, sports, and extracurricular activities while maintaining the personnel necessary to support them.

The annual Pine Bush budget vote is scheduled for May 19 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Circleville Elementary School (2000 State Route 302, Circleville, NY 10919).

“If you’re an early riser, come out and vote at 6 a.m.,” Wickham laughed. “If you want to sleep in for a couple hours, we’re there till 9 p.m.”

He encouraged residents who had further questions or concerns regarding the proposed budget to contact Superintendent Joseph Lenz at 845-744-2031 ext. 4009 or Assistant Superintendent Brian Weir at 845-744-2031 ext. 4012.

MONTICELLO 

The Monticello Central School District has proposed a $106,931,092 spending plan for the 2026-27 school year, which reflects a 3.29% increase over the previous year. District residents can cast their votes on Tuesday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at all district polling locations, including the Robert J. Kaiser Middle School. 

In addition to the budget, voters will elect four members to the Board of Education to fill four open seats. Seven candidates are running for these positions: incumbents Helen Jersey, Heather Lynne Fassell, Wendy Galligan Weiner, and Roberto Bravo-Colon, along with challengers Dacey-Ann Natalie Blake, Tamika Harris, and Logan Morey. While the standard term for board members in this district is typically three years, the specific term lengths and candidate seat pairings are finalized on the ballot to ensure all vacancies are filled.

ROCKLAND  

As the Rockland Central School District’s $33.97 million budget heads to a public vote on May 19 after a public hearing was held last week. 

The Board of Education has approved a $33,974,076 budget, a $1,839,096 increase, or 5.72%, over the current year. The proposal includes a $15,625,135 tax levy, an increase of $669,579, or 4.48%.

District officials said that increase is not discretionary, but the result of a state-mandated formula.

“The district is proposing the maximum increase allowed by the tax levy formula,” Business Official Kathy Blackman said.

Under New York State law, the tax levy limit—often referred to as the tax cap—is calculated through a multi-step formula set by the Office of the State Comptroller.

Because of that formula, the district cannot increase the levy beyond that amount without a supermajority voter override.

Officials also emphasized that the levy increase does not translate directly to an equal increase in individual tax bills, which vary based on property assessments and equalization rates.

The adopted budget reflects a range of cost pressures discussed during the public hearing, most notably the first year of debt service tied to the district’s $21 million capital project.

Other increases include employee benefits, transportation and operational costs, many of which remain largely fixed regardless of enrollment trends. 

Even with staffing reductions, overall spending on employee benefits increased year over year, which Blackman attributed to rising healthcare costs.

“There’s a business aspect to running a school,” board member Roy Rogers said, highlighting the many fiscal constraints facing the district. 

Rogers also spoke on concerns about long-term sustainability, as questions were raised about the future of the school building in Roscoe. 

“You can’t increase taxes forever,” he said, pointing to other districts in the county that have consolidated in recent years. 

The district continues to receive $3,232,573 annually in Reorganization Incentive Operating Aid (RIOA) following the merger of the former Livingston Manor and Roscoe districts. Under current law, that aid remains level for five years before decreasing by 10% annually until it phases out after 14 years.

SULLIVAN WEST

The Sullivan West Central School District budget vote and election on the 2026-2027 Budget will be held Tuesday, May 19, from noon - 9 p.m. The bulldogs will vote ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ on a $44 million proposed school budget and elect candidates for three school board seats.

The proposed budget of $44,131,553 represents a 2% increase from last year’s budget and a tax levy increase of 2.99%. This year’s budget is focused on student achievement, safety, literacy, college and career preparation, and community connection, according to the district. 

Some of the budget drivers were a 9.3% increase in health insurance costs, and a 7% cost increase in BOCES services. Thirty-nine percent of the proposed budget will come from state aid, 49% will come from the local tax levy, and 12% from “local revenue.”

The budget includes a $100,000 capital outlay project, which is 70% state aid eligible, which will address fire panel upgrades, scoreboard improvements for the football/soccer field, and a digital sign for the school’s entrance.

“As we approached this budget, we were mindful of the many unknowns ahead,” said Sullivan West Superintendent Kathleen Bressler. “Costs such as fuel and electricity can change quickly for our taxpayers, and we worked to plan responsibly for those shifts while continuing to protect the programs and opportunities that matter most for our students.”

Bressler said the 2% budget increase, amounting to $865,347, was designed to be as low as possible but addresses increasing costs in health insurance and transportation. She said the ongoing tax certiorari case filed by Millenium Pipeline Company LLC was another factor in this year’s calculations. 

“Despite rising costs, we remain committed to maintaining and improving our facilities. Our $25.8 million capital project will conclude this summer with the installation of new boilers at the Elementary School and completion of the steam-to-hot water conversion.”

Sullivan West will vote to elect school board members for a three-year term starting on July 1 and ending on June 30, 2029. Running for the positions are Kathleen Meckle (incumbent), Matthew Halloran (incumbent), and Shannan Armbrust running for Jennifer Nystrom’s seat. 

The polling places will be as follows: Election District #1 - Polling Place at the Delaware Youth Center - for those who reside within the boundaries of the former Delaware Valley Central School District; Election District #2 - Polling Place at the Western Sullivan Public Library in Jeffersonville - for those who reside within the boundaries of the former Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School District; Election District #3 - Polling Place at the Tusten-Cochecton Library - for those who reside within the boundaries of the former Narrowsburg Central School District.

TRI-VALLEY

As school districts across New York continue navigating rising costs and uncertainty surrounding state aid, the Tri-Valley Central School District says its proposed 2026-2027 budget aims to preserve student opportunities while remaining fiscally responsible.

“As we present the proposed 2026-2027 budget to our community, we remain grounded in the core values that define Tri-Valley: protecting opportunities for students, maintaining strong academic and extracurricular programs, and preserving a safe and supportive learning environment for all,” Superintendent Erin Long stated.

According to Long, the proposed budget totals $39,607,948, representing a 4.04 percent increase over the current year’s $38,070,773 budget.

The proposed tax levy increase would be 2.99 percent, remaining below the district’s allowable tax cap of 3.83 percent.

Long explained that, based on current estimates, a home assessed at $100,000 would see an annual increase of approximately $32.21, while a home assessed at $200,000 would see an increase of about $64.43 annually. She noted those figures remain estimates and could vary depending on equalization rates finalized next summer.

The largest factors driving the budget increase, according to Long, are contractual salary obligations and rising health insurance costs.

At the same time, uncertainty surrounding the finalized New York State budget also impacted planning efforts.

“The district had to utilize the governor’s executive proposal for state aid estimates due to the state budget not being finalized,” Long explained.

Despite financial pressures, Long stated that all academic programs, athletics and extracurricular activities are expected to remain intact under the proposed spending plan. She also noted there are currently no layoffs anticipated, with staffing changes limited to routine retirements and new hires.

Although district enrollment continues to trend downward, Long stated it did not significantly impact this year’s budget planning.

“Our top priority in this proposed budget is to preserve all current programs, course offerings and athletic opportunities for our students,” Long added. “Equally important is ensuring that the district’s facilities remain safe, well-maintained and clean, providing an environment where students can thrive.”

For the Board of Education election, there are three candidates vying for a spot on the board to fill three open seats. They are Tim Dymond (incumbent), Ian Constable, and Kalyn Bertholf. The candidates who receive the highest number of votes will be elected to fill the three open seats. They will each hold their position for three years.