Correction (April 23): The following article initially identified the first two hearings as public hearings on the school district’s budget. After this article was published, the district clarified that the first two events listed are for community conversations about the district’s capital projects. The last event, on May 14 at 5:30 p.m., is a public hearing on the budget.
ITHACA, N.Y. — The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) has set three public hearing dates for discussion of the district’s 2024-2025 financial plans.
The hearings will be Monday night, April 22, at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center at 5:30 p.m.; May 8 at the Danby Fire Hall at 5:30 p.m.; and May 14 at 5:30 p.m. at York Hall at Ithaca High School. The first two hearings are listed on the district’s website as community conversations about the district’s capital project plans, while the May 14 hearing is specifically dedicated to the district’s budget.
The final vote on the district’s budget will come May 21, when voters can decide whether or not to approve the budget via referendum.
The budget has been set for $168,935,371, which would result in a $15.68 tax rate per $1,000 in assessed property value, a slight reduction from the initially proposed $16.22 tax rate.
Last week, the district’s Board of Education rejected the first budget proposal, for $170.9 million, that was brought forward by the district’s leadership. The board then introduced a budget that included a $2 million reduction for 2024-2025 and will use $2 million from the district’s fund balance to help cover expenses as well.
The result is a $4 million reduction in the tax levy, or the amount of money the district aims to generate through property taxes. The approved levy is $116,785,440.
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