Program cuts loom as Pine Plains school budget heads to the polls

PINE PLAINS — The stakes are high for Pine Plains Central School District this budget season. Faced with rising costs and declining enrollment — 791 students attended Pine Plains schools this year, down from a 2002 peak of nearly 1,500 — the board adopted a proposed budget of $40,778,791 in April that includes cuts to school programs.

That’s an increase of 5.34% in expenses from last year. Levied taxes would rise at a slightly lower rate, 4.43%, to $29,122,160. That increase puts the district over its allowed tax rate hike as set by the state.

Piercing the tax cap means the budget will need a 60% approval rating from residents to pass, a so-called supermajority rule that comes into effect when a district’s tax levy exceeds the state’s cap rate.

But the district’s board of education still saw it as the best option. An earlier plan to balance the budget involved closing the Cold Spring Early Learning Center. That faced fierce pushback from parents, and the board subsequently formed an advisory committee to explore other options. That committee will make its recommendation in September.

In the meantime, the district had to make cuts elsewhere. Chief among the eliminations are two 5 p.m. bus routes, new equipment purchases, and elementary school enrichment programs. Some parents are still frustrated about the process that led to those decisions.

“I’m concerned about the lack of outreach from the administration,” said Brooke Brown, a parent in the district and Board of Education candidate. “I think the community is just feeling pretty separate from the school system. There are many things that are out of the board’s control, but an explanation of that would really be helpful.”

Pine Plains’ declining enrollment has been echoed across Dutchess County, an exodus that leaves school districts facing hard choices about consolidation. When that’s compounded with new insurance hikes and climbing transportation costs, an “immediacy of need” is created, said Pine Plains board member Chip Couse.

“Some of the things that were being kicked down the road can no longer be kicked,” Couse said.“I think it’s going to be a rough budget year, not only for Pine Plains, but across the county…But I’m guardedly optimistic. I think that the community will support it, because the alternatives are a bit draconian.” Couse said that in the past, approval has been around 70%.

If the budget fails to pass, the board has two options: put the same plan up for another vote in June, or revise the budget up or down. Superintendent Brian Timm has hypothesized that the board would attempt to scale down to within the tax cap — an approximate $300,000 in further cuts.

If that second vote fails, the district would be forced to adopt a contingent budget with last year’s tax rate, necessitating a further $800,000 in cuts.

There’s more than just the budget on this year’s ballot: two Board of Election seats are open, and are contested by the incumbent James Griffin, Amie Buehler, and Brooke Brown.

The district is also considering the purchase of five new buses through funds previously approved in 2022. At nearly 140 square miles, Pine Plains is one of the county’s largest districts.

Voting takes place on May 19 at Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains. Unregistered residents have until May 14 to participate — you can check your registration status at ppcsd.org.