OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Forestville Superintendent Dr. John O’Connor revealed a 0% tax levy increase to the district budget at a recent meeting of the Sheridan Town Board.

FORESTVILLE — In his first year back as Forestville Superintendent, Dr. John O’Connor was pleased to announce a 0% tax levy increase from the previous year’s Forestville Central School District budget. O’Connor proudly shared the news at a recent Sheridan Town Board meeting.

The district had an allowable increase of 2.22% to the tax levy, but instead chose to remain flat at last year’s figure of $4,029,588. To not increase the tax levy, the district will rely on its fund balance to account for the increases in the total budget this year.

The total 2023-24 Forestville school budget is proposed $13,643,847, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year’s figure of $13,508,760.

“Because of the money that was left over from previous years, we have a fund balance that we have to spend down this year as it goes away. Also, we had a fairly high aid year,” O’Connor said. “Our budget-to-budget expenses were able to increase by only 1%, mainly because of the state aid coming in.”

The district received an increase of $473,324 in state aid, for a total state aid figure of $8,533,804. Of the increased state aid figures, the largest increase was to Foundation Aid, which received $247,310 more state funding in the upcoming year than in the previous budget. The district also received an increase of $100,011 in BOCES aid and an increase of $40,287 in Universal Pre-Kindergarten Aid. Transportation Aid is also up 4% from last year, in the amount of an extra $29,697.

The district is in its final year of federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund monies. The remaining $427,230 available to the district after reallocation from salaries and benefits will be used to fund one-time purchases of a new tractor, scoreboards, reading series and diagnostic assessment tools, and updated supplies and equipment for science, math, technology, and music departments.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is be strategic in the things we purchase. Because it’s fund balance, we can’t really invest in things that have recurring expenses,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor, who returned to the district as superintendent this year, also noted the district’s past leadership “did a really good job of making sure we haven’t increased taxes unnecessarily.”

The budget vote will be Tuesday, May 16, from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Forestville Elementary School, with a re-vote date of Tuesday, June 20, if necessary.