Mineola school district administration gave a budget presentation about salary and benefit expenses to the Board of Education and the school community at the Thursday, Feb. 26, meeting.
William Herman, the assistant superintendent for business and operations, said at this time the maximum allowable tax levy increase for the upcoming budget is 2.36%, or around $2.1 million. He said it is possible this number could still change.
According to a previous budget presentation, the district is projecting a budget of $112,614,733, an increase of $439,704 (0.39%) over last year’s budget. Based on last year’s enrollment total of 2,794 students from the New York Department of Education, the district would spend around $40,300 per pupil, which would compare to about $40,150 during the last academic year.
Per-pupil spending is helpful for comparing budgets year to year, but is incomplete for comparing across districts. Some factors, including higher percentages of secondary education or special education students, can lead to higher per-pupil spending.
According to a presentation, there are currently 480 students receiving special education within the district, with some additional special education provided at outside schools, such as St. Aidan’s School and the Schechter School. The presentation said the number of special education students has risen over the last five years.
For the last two years, the district has presented a final budget proposal with tax levy increases at the maximum allowable level. Herman said that the recommendation for the levy increase is not final yet, but that he expects the final proposal to be 2.36% or close to it.
He reviewed the district’s salary expenses and projected increased burdens of about $877,000, but the full financial picture is not yet clear. The district spent around $58.5 million on salaries in the 2025-2026 budget, according to the presentation. Herman said salaries are the district’s largest expense.
Herman also said the healthcare cost burden will likely increase by about $1.2 million, a 7.27% increase over last year. He said dental care will increase by 4.46% over last year, amounting to about $36,000.
He said rising insurance rates nationwide and collective bargaining agreement negotiations could contribute to higher personnel costs, as salary increases will not be finalized until agreements are ratified.
Personnel retirements of long-time faculty and staff can offer the district salary and benefit relief, according to Herman, because people with longer tenures often incur higher salary and benefit costs than newer district workers.
Herman said districts are required to submit tax cap calculations to the state comptroller’s office, and that he will submit the Mineola cap at 2.36%.
“That intention right now is tentative and subject to change,” he said, emphasizing that districts can resubmit when budget pictures become clearer.
Trustee Margaret Ballantyne asked Herman to provide more specific information on what the budget would look like with tax levy increases below the limit.
Herman said he will bring examples of budget pictures with lower levy increases to the next budget meeting, scheduled for March 26.
“You know how I hate to go out to the tax levy limit,” Ballantyne said. “How far under that can we go?”
The district’s budget adoption, meaning the day the Board of Education confirms the budget to go to a public vote, is scheduled for April 16.
If the district keeps the tax levy increase at or below 2.36% (or whatever the final maximum allowable increase is at that time, as it is subject to change based on state aid and other factors), a simple majority of more than 50% of voters is needed to finalize the budget.
Budget and Board of Education elections will be held on May 19 at the district Synergy Building, 2400 Jericho Turnpike.
During the meeting, trustees officially confirmed the election details, including the location.
Trustee Brian Widman dissented from the board, voting against the resolution, which passed anyway. He said he protests the voting location each year and argued for changes to voting location options.
“Living in the northern part of the district, it is hard for members in my neighborhood who are elderly to make it here,” he said, adding that a different or an additional location would make voting more accessible.
According to Cindy Velez, the district’s clerk, absentee ballots and early voting by mail are available to all residents without any reason requirements.
The board also approved numerous retirements from the district, including Mineola High School social studies teacher Paul Pereira, who serves as the village’s mayor.
Pereira is up for re-election in March and said his retirement from teaching will not affect his work in local government.
