On Tuesday, May 26, the Ogdensburg City School District Board of Education voted to adopt the 2026-27 proposed $58,228,386 budget for revote, following its defeat on May 19. The proposal remains unchanged and includes a 3.99% increase to the local tax levy.
During the emergency meeting, Superintendent Kevin Kendall reviewed the reductions already made to close gaps in the original proposal and outlined the additional cuts that would be required if the budget fails a second time. Under state law, a second defeat would force the district into a contingency budget, which prohibits any increase to the current tax levy. For Ogdensburg, this would create a $648,500 shortfall, resulting in additional reductions to both programming and staff.
Although several community members attended the meeting, no one came forward to offer public comment when given the opportunity.
Long-Term Tax Context
Kendall shared a 20-year lookback on local tax rates, noting that the proposed rate of $21.64 per $1,000 of assessed value is only slightly higher than the $21.55 rate in 2006-07. He emphasized that while the district held the levy at 0% for six consecutive years, inadequate state funding paired with rising operational costs – including utilities, special education programming, and health insurance premiums – made an increase unavoidable for the upcoming year.
Many residents have seen their property values rise due to the city’s reassessment. The school district does not control property assessments; it only applies the tax rate to the values determined by the city.
The tax levy is the total amount of money that a school district collects each year from all property owners in the district. Tax rates are calculated by dividing the total amount of the levy by the total assessed value in the community. An increase in assessed value of a property will result in a higher tax bill – a factor that is outside of a school district’s control.
Elementary Reorganization
The district is moving forward with a strategic elementary reorganization in the 2026-27 school year to better align staffing and resources with student needs.
The new structure, which will see students in grades UPK-1 at Grant C. Madill Elementary and students in grades 2-6 at John F. Kennedy Elementary, allows the district to reduce costs through attrition, avoiding deeper cuts to programs and services.
Students Needs and Cost Per Pupil
Ogdensburg City School District serves over 1,200 students, including homeschooled students and preschool-aged children within the district that require special education services. A simple “cost per student” calculation does not reflect the district’s actual needs.
“We have more than 375 students receiving special education interventions, which require additional staffing, specialized programming, and individualized support,” Kendall said. “We aim to meet the needs of every student, and with that comes a different cost per student.”
Cost-Saving Measures Underway
The district continues to pursue long-term savings to offset rising expenses. An Energy Performance Contract (EPC) grant is funding the transition from standard lighting to more energy-efficient LED fixtures throughout the building.
In addition, Phase 2 of the district’s ongoing capital improvement project will replace three 75-year-old boilers, currently operating at roughly 82% efficiency, with modern, energy-efficient systems.
Revote Information
If the proposal is defeated a second time, the district will be required to adopt a $57,579,886 contingency budget, eliminating six additional staff positions and 12 programs, including Summer Marching Band, Driver Education, and all Junior Varsity athletic teams, as well as the closure of the Edgar A. Newell, II Dome. These reductions would be in addition to the cuts already made in the initial proposal.
A contingency budget would also limit the district’s ability to offer community use of school facilities.
“A contingency budget isn’t a one‑year setback – it’s a multi‑year recovery,” Kendall said. “Once programs and staff are cut, they cannot simply be restored the following year. It takes time, resources, and several budget cycles to rebuild what was lost.”
The budget revote will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from noon to 9 p.m. in the William L. Dwyer Gymnasium at Ogdensburg Free Academy.