Brittnay Spry, assistant superintendent of finance and operations told board members that the tentative budget is $104,460,342 which is an increase of about $2.9 million from the 2023-2024 budget.

“There is no increase as a part of this budget to the tax levy. So, we will continue forward with a zero (0) percent tax increase,” Spry told board members.

Also, Spry noted, that the district’s payments in lieu of taxes remain stable and the district’s state aid increased about $2.3 million. She said some districts in Chautauqua County had a decrease in state aid.

2024-2025 Estimated revenue totals $104,460,342, with $86,563,584 projected to come from state aid, $16,310,058 from property taxes and $1,586,700 from other sources. The district’s $104,460,342 breaks down to $19,325,994 for capital projects, $74,616,724 for programs and $10,517,624 for administration.

Brittnay Spry, Jamestown Public Schools assistant superintendent of finance and operations discusses the tentative 2024-2025 budget. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

“So, at this time, we are proposing a balanced budget in which our expenditures do match what our anticipated revenues are,” Spry said.

The capital expenditure is money that is transferred from the general fund to the capital fund, so building and construction work can be done throughout the district, Spry added. Capital expenditures receive 98 percent state aid the following year. JPS is not capped at $100,000 like some other school districts are. The work has to be completed by June 30, 2025, Spry said.

As part of the capital project, two bus lifts will be replaced at the JPS bus garage, 1056 Allen St.

As for the program expenditures, Spry said over the past two years there was an increase in 81 positions within the district, and in the new budget, those positions again will be supported.

Also, program expenses include transportation items and the district is proposing to purchase two 54-passenger wheelchair buses, two 66-passenger buses, one 66-passenger zero-emission bus, and to trade in 18 buses to offset the cost of the zero-emission bus, Spry noted.

New York State has released new resources and guidance to help public schools in the state transition to all electric fleets. Schools have been mandated to change all of their buses over to electric or zero-emission buses by 2035. The state also has a goal that all buses sold in New York State be electric or zero-emission by 2027. The New York State Electric School Bus Roadmap and The Electric School Bus Guidebook are meant to help schools reach these goals.

“We have been planning and would like to purchase a zero-emission bus, so that we can have at least one on hand to be able to start to figure out what it looks like within our bus garage, what it looks like, as far as routes go, and how we can transport students,” Spry said.

Spry added that the district has for grant funding through the Environmental Protection Agency as well as through the state bus incentive program. If awarded, the money should fully offset the cost of the zero-emission bus, and allow the district to purchase a second one, Spry said.

In other business:

School board members opted to follow some other districts in the state and send a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul to express concerns about the mandated zero-emission bus purchases.

Board Vice President Patrick Slagle said that the district is essentially asking for a pause and a little more consideration before the district proceeds with the electric school buses.

“It’s a good idea, but there are a lot of unknowns,” Slagle said.

Some unknowns, he said, include travel to destinations that are more than one hour away, and how the batteries will perform in the winter. Also he said what happens if there is a power outage and the buses can’t be charged overnight in time for the bus run the next morning?

“So I’m in favor of this letter, again, just to say, hey, let’s pause this and give us some more time to really figure out the technology,” Slagle said.

Board President Paul Abbott said the state mandate may not be ready and the timetable needs to be addressed.

“I think a number of districts are going to have a problem with this,” Abbott said.