Hard Choices for Pine Plains School Board: Will Voters Support Piercing the Tax Cap?

With its tax levy for 2026-27 expected to rise to 6.19% — 2.79% more than the state allows — the Pine Plains Central School District is facing two options: Get voters’ approval to exceed the district’s allowable 3.4% tax cap, which requires a 60% supermajority to pass, or make cuts to get the district’s tax levy closer to the cap, which would eliminate array of programs.

“We’re not allowed to cut anything required by New York state education law, so for example, you can’t cut third grade,” Superintendent Brian Timm said at a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, March 17, at the Stissing Mountain High School library. “But you could cut elementary school enrichment [activities]. We are talking about cutting programming — electives like AP chemistry or sports.”

Staffing reductions, a lottery for pre-K, elimination of the 5 p.m. bus, and consolidated routes would also be considered. “That would mean an even longer bus ride,” he said.

The board has to adopt its 2026-27 budget by April 21. The projected spending plan — $41,269,791 — is a $2,557,455 rise over the current year. To cover this increase, the tax levy limit, a complex calculation, would have to be overridden by $781,569. If the board does not cut that amount, it will need to get approval from a supermajority of voters on May 19. According to board member Fred “Chip” Couse, these votes fall short at least half the time, usually resulting in a contingency budget — which safeguards key services, but student electives and extracurriculars are likely to be eliminated.

Timm told the board, “We’re at a critical moment. We have exactly two meetings before we have to adopt a budget. If we put up a budget and it [is voted down], contingency budget cuts

are going to be the board’s decision — not [District Business Official Laura Rafferty’s] or mine. We’ll price it out for you, but what needs to be cut will be up to you.” 

Board member Jean Stapf said, “I don’t feel comfortable cutting anything on this list.” Board member Jim Griffin, Couse, and President Amie Fredericks said they were willing to gamble that the budget would pass.

Rafferty cited a near $350,000 jump in transportation costs as a primary driver of the spending increase; other factors include a 10% surge in both employee health insurance and BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) fees. 

Athletic Director Lester Funk and Director of Technology Richard Harlin detailed their current expenditures and anticipated costs for 2026-27. According to Rafferty, both budgets are on target with the exception of higher costs of BOCES services, such as athletic officiating and technical support. Director of Pupil Personnel Services Janine Babcock said her current $3.3 million budget is expected to increase by over $164,000 next year due to higher BOCES tuition charges and special education services.

Dutchess BOCES Assistant Superintendent Mike Skerritt, who presented the agency’s budget along with Superintendent Jodi DeLucia, said, “Our costs have risen, too: Health insurance is three-fourths of our [$125 million] budget, and it’s increasing by 9.9%.”

To reduce next year’s expenditures, Rafferty said the district may halve the number of students attending BOCES CTI (Career and Technical Institute) — a cost savings of $314,000. “We’re asking for 25 CTI seats in 2026-27, instead of 50,” she said. “But we’ll keep the options available to add seats to those who need them.” (According to Rafferty, most district’s CTI students either study graphic art as part of the high school’s Winner’s Circle project or are in animal and plant sciences.)

Escalating expenses, a 50% drop in student enrollment over 20 years, and uncertain future state funding has driven a two-year debate to consolidate the district’s schools. A building utilization study confirmed a $1.5 million savings if one school was closed — without affecting class size or services. In January, Timm recommended shuttering Stanfordville’s Cold Spring Early Learning Center. Its pre-K through first grade students would move to Seymour Smith Intermediate Learning Center in Pine Plains, which currently serves grades two through five.

Stanfordville parents pushed back, and successfully stopped the school board’s Feb. 3 vote on the proposed closing of Cold Spring school. Instead, the board unanimously agreed to form a community-based delegation, the Building Utilization Advisory Committee, to investigate the educational impact of school consolidation and submit a report to the Board of Education by Sept. 30. That group held its first meeting on March 12.

“It’s frustrating to me,” Fredericks said. “Back in January we had the [fiscal] solution. Now we’re having the same conversation about cutting programs. It’s going to be incredibly important to promote awareness of this budget.”

In other business, Gian Starr, the school district’s director of curriculum and instruction, reviewed the 2024-25 New York State Education Department (NYSED) student data. Of 69 enrolled students, 90% graduated. (Two received a GED, two are still enrolled, and three dropped out.) “We had so few students that even one student not graduating has a big impact on numbers,” he said, commenting on the high school’s 4% drop-out rate. (The average state rate is 5%).

“Our state testing scores, generally speaking, have gone back to pre-COVID levels or exceeded them,” Starr said, “Although our math scores could be improved.” (Fifth graders ranked in the bottom three of 13 Dutchess County school districts.)

Starr also discussed New York Inspires, NYSED’s plan to transform education, which includes phasing out Regent’s exams and moving to one state diploma. (Currently, a student can graduate with an advanced Regent’s, regular Regent’s, or local diploma.) “They are focused on work-based learning, [such as] our agriculture Career and Technical Education program set to start in 2026-27,” he said. “Financial literacy and climate education are mandatory, and [teaching the students] cultural responsiveness is central. We have a whole lot of work that must be done.” 

Rafferty reported that the district will seek authorization to purchase five new buses next year (Proposition 2 on the May ballot) — two 71-passenger school buses ($194,526 each) and three 35-passenger school buses ($120,408 each). “This comes out of the capital bus reserve fund, not our budget,” Rafferty said.

The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, at the high school library.’

Correction: The district tax cap is 3.4%, so the tax cap is expected to be pierced by 2.79%. This article has been updated to clarify remarks made during the board’s budget discussion. Board member Jean Stapf said, “I don’t feel comfortable cutting anything on this list.” Board member Jim Griffin, Couse and President Amie Fredericks said they were willing to gamble that the budget would pass.