On May 19, Berne-Knox-Westerlo residents will decide on a $24,729,966 proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year. The proposed budget has a spending decrease of $7,362—the result of an expected loss in Foundation Aid in addition to increased insurance and operational costs.
The proposed budget carries a 3.77% tax levy increase, which is equal to the district’s legal limit or “cap” as defined by New York’s tax levy cap legislation, and requires a simple majority of voters (50% plus one) to pass the budget.
Read more about the proposed budget.
Budget-at-a-glance
- 2026-27 proposed budget: $24,729,966
- Budget decrease from 2025-26: $-7,362 (-0.03%)
- 2026-27 tax levy increase: $430,645 (3.77%)
Also on the ballot
Bus proposition
Voters will consider the purchase of three 28-passenger gasoline buses and one wheelchair accessible gasoline bus.
The cost of the buses is not to exceed $430,783 and the district will be reimbursed by the state for approximately 63% of the cost. The proposition is part of the district’s annual bus replacement plan, which replaces the oldest buses each year in order to maintain a safe and operational fleet, and controls the maintenance costs that come with keeping older buses on the road.
Read more about the bus proposition.
Board of Education election
There are two candidates running for two available seats on the Board of Education. Kimberly Lovell is running for re-election and Marjorie Croote is running for a first term. Board members are volunteers elected to three-year terms. The terms of the individuals elected this year will begin on July 1, 2026, and expire on June 30, 2029.
Vote date and location
Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 19, from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. in the BKW Elementary School cafeteria.
Voter eligibility
Any U.S. citizen who is 18 years of age or older and a resident of the Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District for at least 30 days prior to the date of the vote is eligible to cast a ballot in the budget vote. But first you must be registered. Those who are registered for the general elections are automatically registered for school votes. If you have any questions, please contact District Clerk Anne Farnam at (518) 872-1293 or anne.farnam@bkwschools.org.
Absentee and early mail ballots
All absentee and early mail ballots must be received by the district clerk no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.
What happens if the budget is voted down?
If voters do not approve the proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year, the Board of Education has two options: hold a revote with either the same or revised spending plan, or adopt a contingent budget. If a revote is held and fails, the district must adopt a contingent budget, and the tax levy must remain the same as the current year. In other words, there would be a 0% increase.
A contingent budget would potentially result in the following cuts for the 2026-27 school year:
- Art position (1 FTE)
- Music position (1 FTE)
- High school math position (1 FTE)
- High school English position (1 FTE)
- Maintenance position (1 FTE)
- School resource officer/secretarial positions (2 FTE)