Budget Information

MEET THE BOARD CANDIDATES: WTBQ RADIO BROADCAST

Listen to this special edition of Your Schools, with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. David Leach, and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Ms. Cindy Leandro.

In this rebroadcast from May 12 on WTBQ Radio, Dr. Leach and Ms. Leandro are joined by the four candidates running for three positions on the WVCSD Board of Education.

The board election and 2025-26 budget vote are coming up on Tuesday, May 20. This conversational style roundtable is an excellent way to get to know these candidates.

2025-26 BUDGET NEWSLETTER

Download an accessible PDF version of the budget newsletter using this link.

PAGE 1

On Tuesday, May 20, Warwick Valley Central School District residents will vote on a proposed
$119,137,197 budget for the 2025-26 school year.

The budget includes a tax levy increase of 2.59%, which aligns with the states allowable tax cap for this year. The district has kept the annual tax levy increase at or below the states allowable tax cap each of the last 13 years and has never exceeded it.

The proposed budget increases spending by 3.45%, or $3,975,739, over the current school year. The increase is primarily driven by contractual obligations for salaries and benefits, inflationary costs for goods and services, and rising expenses for BOCES services. Additional challenges include lower than anticipated state foundation aid and an increase in BOCES capital expenditures, which place financial pressure on the district.

"Our budget for the 2025-26 school year continues the Warwick tradition of delivering high-quality education for students, maintaining appropriate class sizes, supporting vibrant school programs, and providing resources for school safety, mental health and special education," said
Superintendent Dr. David Leach. "We are always appreciative of our community's support as we continue to pursue these common goals."

Unfunded and underfunded state mandates remain a significant challenge, as they impose additional demands on the district without providing corresponding financial support.

Despite these challenges, the district remains committed to offering creative and rigorous programming for students and to integrating the Warwick Portrait of a Graduate characteristics throughout its programs and classrooms.

"We are once again proud to present this budget to our voters, Board President Keith Parsons
said. Each year, we work diligently to balance the Districts budgetary goals -- preserving student
opportunities while remaining fiscally responsible on behalf of our taxpayers. I believe we have again developed a solid spending plan with a minimal increase to the tax levy.

WVCSD BUDGET VOTE IS ON MAY 20, 2026  |  7 AM - 9 PM

PROPOSED BUDGET

• Amount: $119,137,197
• Tax Levy Increase: 2.59%
• Avg. Tax Levy Increase (last 10 years): 1.81%

POLLING PLACES

• District 1: Pine Island Firehouse
• District 2: Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center (District Office)
• Kings School 

BUS PROPOSITION

Purchase five school buses with no additional tax increase needed because 63.2% of the cost will be reimbursed in state transportation aid. 

BOARD OF ED ELECTION

Voters will elect 3 candidates, listed in the order in which they will appear on the ballot:

• Keith Parsons (i)
• Paul R. Eagleston
• Daniel Mahoney (i)
• Thomas E. Maslanka (i)
  i = incumbent

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THREE-PART BUDGET

Program Costs (78.94%): Include salaries and benefits for all certified faculty and staff, teacher aides, monitors and nurses as well as in-service training, library costs, transportation,
co-curricular programs and interscholastic athletics. 

Administrative Costs (11.45%): Include salaries and benefits for all professional staff members who spend 50% or more of their time in administration, finance and supervision. This portion also includes clerical staff, public information, curriculum development and supervision, research, planning and evaluation, legal services and school board-related costs.

Capital Costs (9.61%): Include operations and maintenance, security, budgeted capital projects, tax refunds, principal and interest on debt and installment purchases and leases.

For a comprehensive breakdown download the accessible newsletter PDF using this link.

PROJECTED REVENUES

• School Tax Levy: 59.33%
• State Aid: 33.21%
• Local Sources: 4.44%
• Other: 3.02%

PROPOSED EXPENDITURES

• Instruction: 57.88%
• Benefits, Debt Service: 26.35%
• Transportation: 6.07%
• General Support: 9.70%

For a comprehensive breakdown of revenues and expenditures, download the accessible PDF budget newsletter using this link.

PAGE 3

HIGH PERFORMANCE: ACADEMICS AND ECONOMICS

The Warwick Valley Central School District provides an educational value that is unmatched in the region. The District ranks at or near the top in several statistical performance categories reflecting both academics and cost savings.

TOP GRADUATION RATES IN ORANGE COUNTY

97.6%... #1 among Orange County school districts in the graduation rate of general education students for the 2023-24 school year.

84%... #2 among Orange County school districts in the graduation rate of special education students for the 2023-24 school year.

#1 POST-SECONDARY ENROLLMENT RATE
Warwick Valley CSD ranks first among 45 school districts in the Mid-Hudson region with at least 150 graduates with an 83% post-secondary enrollment rate.

#1 IN AVERAGE NUMBER OF AP COURSES
The 2023-24 average number of AP courses per grade 12 student was 1.61 in the Warwick Valley CSD. This value is the number of AP courses taken by grade 12 students divided by
grade 12 enrollment.

#1 IN NEW YORK REGENTS EXAM RESULTS
Warwick Valley CSD is the overall top performing school district in Orange County in New York State Regents Exam results.

BUS PROPOSAL

PURCHASE OF 5 SCHOOL BUSES
Voters will also consider a proposition to purchase five buses for the Transportation Department at a maximum cost of $990,392.

The District would use $364,464 of its bus reserve fund to help offset the cost. Of the total cost, $625,928, or 63.2%, is expected to be returned to the District in the form of state transportation aid. 

As a result, no additional taxes would be required to purchase the buses at a net cost of approximately $364,464. The proposed purchase includes two 65-passenger propane buses, two 65-passenger electric buses and one 65-passenger diesel-powered bus.

• Bus Purchase (max cost): $990,392
• Reserve: $364,464
• Net Cost (financed): $364,464
• Transportation Aid (63.2%): $625,928
• Additional Tax Increase: $0

TAX LEVY YEAR-To-year

The proposed budget includes a tax levy increase of 2.59%, which aligns with the states allowable tax cap for this year. The district has kept the annual tax levy increase at or below the states allowable tax cap each of the last 13 years and has never exceeded it.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BUDGET IS NOT APPROVED?

Should voters not approve the proposed budget, the District has the option to place it -- or a revised version -- before voters a second time. If the budget fails again, or if the District chooses not to hold a second vote, state law requires adoption of a contingency budget, which sets spending at a predetermined level. For the 2025-26 school year, an additional $402,309
in non-mandated expenses would need to be cut, which may include certain field trips, school clubs, modified sports, new equipment, supplies and enrichment programs. 

Late buses, non-essential maintenance, electives, community use of facilities and class sizes could also be some of the items impacted.

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2025-2026 BUDGET VOTE

• Tuesday, May 20, 2025
• 7 am - 9 pm

ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Absentee ballots are available for voters who are unable to vote in person due to illness, physical disability, hospitalization or travel. An Absentee Ballot Application must be completed
in order to receive an absentee ballot.

To request your ballot application, contact District Clerk Susan Laroe (slaroe@wvcsd.org) or (845) 987-3000, ext. 10511.

If mailed to you, your application must be received by May 12. If you plan to pick up an application and ballot in person you may do so until May 19. Absentee ballots must be
returned to the District Office by 5 pm on May 20. 

EARLY MAIL VOTER BALLOTS
Early mail voter ballots are available for registered and qualified voters who would like to vote early. An Early Mail Voter Ballot Application must be completed in order to receive an early mail voter ballot. To request your ballot application, contact District Clerk Susan Laroe (slaroe@wvcsd.org) or (845) 987-3000, ext. 10511.

If mailed to you, your application must be received by May 12. If you plan to pick up an
application and ballot in person you may do so until May 19. Early Mail Voter Ballots must be
returned to the District Office by 5 pm, May 20.

WVCSD BUDGET NOTICE

The table below is a breakdown of the proposed 2025-26 budget. The table is available as Page 4 of  this accessible PDF version of the budget newsletter.

Download an accessible PDF version of the budget newsletter using this link.