Residents in the Rush-Henrietta Central School District will decide Tuesday, May 19, on a $187 million proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year.
The budget reflects a 2.17% tax levy increase, which remains within the state’s property tax cap. Voters will also weigh in on school bus purchases and elect two school board members.
Voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 19 at the Transportation and Operations Center, 1133 Lehigh Station Road in Henrietta.
Rush-Henrietta 2026-27 school budget overview
The proposed budget totals $187 million, which is 4.39% higher, or $7,865,259 more, than the current year’s $179,134,741 spending plan.
The majority of that increase is driven by salary increases from collective bargaining agreements settled in recent years. Superintendent Barbara Mullen described this year’s budget ask as routine, focusing on continuity of services for students and families.
Areas of school budget increasing
Spending is expected to rise in areas including:
Areas of Rush-Henrietta plan where spending may decrease
Rush-Henrietta district leaders expect spending to decrease in areas including:
Estimated tax rates for Rush-Henrietta district residents
If the budget passes, the estimated 2026-27 tax rate will be $12.80 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.
The owner of a $200,000 home would pay roughly $54.50 more in school taxes.
School bus proposition on ballot
Voters also will consider a proposition that authorizes the purchase of school buses at a cost of no more than $2,700,000.
This proposition also authorizes the use of capital reserve funds to pay for the buses, so it does not impact the tax levy.
Budget’s impact on students
Mullen, the superintendent, said her team approaches budget season with a “continuous improvement mindset,” while still evaluating changes against the practical fiscal constraints of the district.
“When we’re building the budget, the most challenging part is making sure we are moving toward the outcomes we want for children without overstaffing,” she said. “We are really doggish on the return on the investment. I’m always reporting to the board so that if I do need to change a service, we can say ― Look, this did not have the outcome for children that we wanted it to have. Or this has had a really great outcome for kids, so we’re continuing this.”
More information about the 2026-27 proposed budget is available on the district’s website.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rush-Henrietta voters will decide school budget — here are key numbers
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
