Central Square superintendent explains tax levies ahead of school budget voting day

Yahoo

19-05-2025

CENTRAL SQUARE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Tuesday, May 20, Central New Yorkers will vote on whether to approve or reject their local school districts budget proposal. Each district with the exception of Syracuse city schools, presents a budget, along with a tax levy that will impact property taxes.
Central Square's Superintendent Tom Colabufo is no stranger to getting a school budget passed. This year, his district is looking to keep what's in their budget, much the same as last year.
'We're looking to keep the same number of kids that want to go to city BOCES, which is about 175,' Colabufo said. 'We want to be able to keep our 26 college courses that are free for students. We want to be able to keep a special patrol officer in each of our schools and counselors in our elementary, middle, and high school.'
This year, the district has put forth a budget of a little under $104 million. That includes a 6.86% tax levy increase. Colabufo explains how that would impact people's property taxes.
'If somebody has a $200,000 house, it would go up $184 for the year. If they have a $100,000 house, it's $92 dollars. A $300,000 house, it's $276,' Colabufo said.
Last year, the districts tax levy was around 4%. They decided to raise it this year because they're getting less aid from the state.
'For a district that roughly gets roughly $60 million in state aid, a year ago we got 4.5% percent state aid. To go from 4.5% out of 60 million dollars, down to 2%, we have to make that money up somewhere. Or we have to look at $2 million worth of cuts,' Colabufo said.
So, on Tuesday, voters will decide if they pick up the rest of the bill for the district.
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