School Community Lashes Out Over Budget Crisis in Carmel

Parents and students in Carmel last week lashed out at administrators over the dire financial condition of the school district during a marathon eight-hour Board of Education meeting that lasted to 2 a.m.

The Board of Education is grappling with having to slice $6 to $10 million from the proposed $151.8 million 2024-25 budget. Even with a reduction of $6 million, property owners are looking at a 3.5% tax levy increase, which is within the allowable state tax cap, if the budget is approved on May 21. If no cuts are made, residents would be hit with a 9.5% tax levy hike.

“This fiscal crisis was not brought about because our community was taxed too little. This present crisis was brought about because the Carmel Central School District spends too much and has spent too much for many years despite all the warnings,” Trustee John Curzio said.

Curzio said board members were not notified of the large budget hole until Feb. 9 but did not receive any recommended cuts until Feb. 27.

“We are not going to look the other way. We are going to dig. We are going to find answers,” Trustee Melissa Orser said. “I’m going to find every line item that doesn’t affect our students.”

One of the mentioned potential cuts administrators floated was the elimination of kindergarten, which would save an estimated $1.7 million. However, doing away with kindergarten, which would make Carmel the only district in New York State not to offer the program, drew the ire of many speakers.

“Getting rid of kindergarten would be a mistake,” said Mary Ann Carpenter. “This is not the area to pull from. This would lead to a spiral that Carmel may never recover from.”

“Our youngest children are being targeted to pay the price for mismanagement,” said the mother of a would-be incoming kindergarten student. “Why are our children not being prioritized? Shame on you all.”

Interim Superintendent of Schools Joseph McGrath and several board members stressed kindergarten would not be on the cutting block.

“It is vital. It sets their (students) whole trajectory. That is something that is very dear and near to my heart,” said McGrath, who noted district officials were talking to Putnam County about renting out a school building for universal pre-k. “There are paths to maintaining so many of the valued programs, but there are tradeoffs. We have to preserve what is most precious to the community.”

“The thought of doing away with kindergarten—I have kind of put that out of my head,” said board President Dawn Dall. “We will do whatever we can to preserve that. We will fight to keep that very precious educational program.”

Other speakers took aim at the district for the high salaries it pays administrators and teachers. Carmel has 171 employees on the payroll that earn more than $150,000 annually. Resident Michael Torpey said the district’s teacher median salary of $148,000 ranks second in the state.

“Teachers and administrator salaries in this district are out of control and bankrupting this district,” Torpey remarked.

“We don’t have money for this,” parent Nick Maglione reiterated. “We need to clean house. We don’t have money for the kids. It is us who are getting buried alive.”

John Fink, Assistant Superintendent of Business, explained anticipated double-digit increases in health insurance and liability costs, coupled with lower than expected state aid, are contributing to the district’s heavy reliance on tax levy to maintain programs.

Fink presented potential reductions at Carmel High School and George Fischer Middle School, including eight teaching positions, that could save $2.1 million. He also outlined the elimination of athletics, including varsity sports, and switching to the Princeton model where grades would be realigned at Kent Primary and Kent Elementary schools, that would save an additional $2.2 million.

Curzio and Orser maintained the district needed to cut beyond the bare minimum to avoid a repeat of this year’s financial problems.

“This district will face the same fiscal mess in subsequent years, year after year, if we do not rise to the occasion and make the difficult, thoughtful, and serious decisions this year,” Curzio said.

The board will be meeting again on March 19 to discuss the budget further and whether it will present residents with a $15 million safety and security referendum on May 21.

“The goal is to get our spending under control,” said Trustee James Wise.