From left, Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education Members John Panebianco, Vice President Joseph Pawelski, and President Paul Abbott listen to Brittnay Spry, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, discuss Tuesday the district’s budget. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

The Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education Tuesday adopted a 2024-2025 budget that doesn’t increase taxes, upgrades playgrounds at elementary schools and buys the district’s first zero-emissions school bus. .

Brittnay Spry, assistant superintendent of finance and operations told board members that the budget is $104,566,897 and there is no increase in taxes.

“The first and most important part of this budget is that our community will not see an increase in the tax levy to support this budget. So taxes remain the same as they have for the past 10 years,” Spry noted.

Spry also told board members that the district’s PILOTS, which are payments in lieu of taxes, remain stable. Spry said that there is a $3.1 million increase in state foundation aid, an increase Boards of Cooperative Educational Services, transportation, and an increase in building aid to complete the revenue side of the budget.

For expenditures, which also is $104,566,897, there is a capital outlay of $100,000 in which the district will look to replace and upgrade playground equipment at its elementary schools. Previously, JPS was not capped at $100,000, but Spry said the district’s legal counsel advised sticking to $100,000.

“So that has caused us to pivot real quickly, and try to find something that we can do around the district to fit within that $100,000. … That is the biggest change probably to this budget is that we’re seeing that decrease,” Spry said.

On the administrative portion, there are increases with BOCES services, and contractual obligations. With the program expenditures, there are no new general fund positions proposed as the district will maintain positions created through previous budgets. More program expenditures include the purchase of two 54-passenger wheelchair buses, the purchase of two 66-passenger buses, and the purchase of one 66-passenger zero-emission bus. Spry said there are 18 buses to trade in to offset the cost of the zero-emission bus. Spry noted that the district has been selected for the New York State bus incentive program.

“So we are receiving that (state) funding. So this bus will be completely zero cost to the district and district taxpayers. So that will allow us to get our feet wet in the zero-emission bus program,” Spry said.

Currently public school districts across the state are to begin purchasing zero-emission buses in 2027, and be fully electric or zero-emission by 2035, Spry added.

Board President Paul Abbott was delighted to see the addition of the zero-emission bus added to the budget.

“And I’m glad that we’re maintaining all of our positions. I’m encouraged that we are getting our first zero-emissions bus at no cost to the taxpayers,” Abbott said.

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker, had similar thoughts about the spending plan.

“This is another budget that maintains the supports that we’ve put in place for students, and we’re seeing some positive progress in attendance, especially around literacy. Our supports are really coming to help our kids, and so to be able to continue that. Even with whatever happens at the state level, our future planning allows us to maintain that level of staffing for the benefit of our students and their learning,” Whitaker said.

A budget hearing is scheduled for May 14 at Persell Middle School, and the budget vote and board member election is scheduled for May 21 from 12 to 9 p.m.