The Pine Bush school board received the final proposed budget for 2023-24 at its April 11 meeting.

Joseph Lenz, Assistant Superintendent for Business, presented a budget of $135,629,641, with an increase of $6,870,306, or 5.33%, over the current budget.

Lenz said that nearly 78% of the budget is designated for program. The budget includes an increase of $1,749,000 in staffing. The district will hire two special education teachers, two speech teachers, a Universal Pre-Kindergarten teacher and an English as a New Language teacher. The budget also provides for an additional counselor, an additional teaching assistant and an additional technician.

New York State aid will increase substantially – 9.4% - and cover $69,362,133, or 51% of the budget. Property taxes will increase 1.5% and cover $61,652,815, or 45% of the budget. The district will use $2,896,756 of its fund balance, just under a 1% increase over the current budget.

The board will hold a public hearing on the budget on May 9. The public will vote on the budget on May 16. The public will also fill two school board openings at that time; incumbents Cara Robertson and Kristi Kheiralla are running.