Monroe-Woodbury puts $245 million budget, Sapphire roof proposal before voters
Monroe-Woodbury voters will weigh a $245 million budget, a 1.95% tax-levy increase and a $2.6 million Sapphire Elementary roof plan on May 19.
Monroe-Woodbury residents will decide whether to back a $245,052,094 school budget that keeps the tax levy under the state cap and pairs it with a separate roof replacement plan for Sapphire Elementary School. The vote on May 19 will show how much Orange County families want to spend to preserve current programs, expand student opportunities and keep up with building repairs.
The Monroe-Woodbury Board of Education unanimously adopted the proposed 2026-27 general fund budget on April 21, then held a public hearing on it at the May 6 board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Tracy Norman and Assistant Superintendent for Business and Management Services Patrick Cahill presented the spending plan, which the district said would represent a 3.3 percent increase from the previous year.
The proposal calls for a tax levy of $135,943,148, a 1.95 percent increase that the district said remains below the state tax cap of 2.86 percent. District officials said that marks the seventh straight year Monroe-Woodbury has levied under the cap, a point likely to resonate with taxpayers in Monroe, Harriman and Central Valley as property owners continue to watch school budgets closely.
On the spending side, the district said the budget would prioritize a new pathway to graduation and expanded extracurricular opportunities while maintaining all current programs and services. It also would continue professional development for staff and community outreach. District materials say bus purchases are included in the replacement plan, with state aid expected to cover about 71 percent of that expense.
Voters will also see a second proposition asking for approval of up to $2.6 million for a roof replacement at Sapphire Elementary School. District materials say the roof has reached the end of its useful life. The project would be paid for with about $2 million from the district’s capital reserve fund and $549,000 from the New York State EXCEL program, so it would not require taxpayer dollars. If approved, construction would not begin until summer 2027.
The annual school budget vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Central Valley Elementary School. The district also accepted community questions through an online form ahead of the hearing, underscoring how much the outcome now rests on voters deciding whether the budget’s mix of academic programs, extracurriculars and facilities work is worth the price.
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