The Syracuse City School District's proposed budget for next school year will be presented Wednesday during a special meeting.
Superintendent Anthony Davis and CFO Michael Puntschenko will deliver the proposal.
The pair testified in Albany last week regarding Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed executive budget, said Chief of Staff Monique Wright-Williams during the Feb. 8 board meeting.
“Since the executive budget was released, CFO Puntschenko and his team have been analyzing the funding allocations for the district and the impact that the various initiatives proposed may have on our schools,” Wright-Williams said. “Wednesday, at a special board meeting, Superintendent Davis and CFO Puntschenko will provide the board with the proposed budget for the 2023-24 school year, outlining critical initiatives.”
Next, the Board of Education will approve the budget. It will then go to the mayor on March 8, to be included in the Syracuse city budget.
At the Feb. 8 meeting, Wright-Williams also shared preliminary highlights of the governor's executive budget.
“For Syracuse City School District, the proposal includes approximately an 8.75% increase in funding for the district, around $42 million,” she said. “This will be the last year of the foundation aid phasing. Moving forward, the increases to foundation aid will be based upon the Consumer Price Index.”
Also included in the governor's budget, she says, is an extension of the earning income cap waiver for retirees through the end of the 2023-24 school year.
“Which will help with some of the staffing shortages school districts are facing statewide,” she said.
This Special Board Meeting is set for Feb. 15, starting at 4:30 p.m. at the city school district office on Harrison Street. The meeting will also be live streamed.
