District presents budget at Pennington School, answers community questions, and announces NYSED monitor

The Mount Vernon City School District hosted a budget presentation and Q+A last Thursday at Pennington School. Parents and community members listened to the presentation and asked questions throughout to gain a better understanding of the budget in a conversational setting.

Click here to view the budget webpage. The budget vote and school board elections will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20.

As Assistant Superintendent for Business Jose Formoso delivered the presentation, which can be viewed by clicking here, he answered questions about certain aspects of the budget with support from members of the senior cabinet. Associate Superintendent for Operations and Accountability Mark Raimondi explained items related to District operations, enrollment, and the impact of the budget to taxpayers.

The budget’s proposed 3.3% tax levy increase would raise taxes by $24.15 per month for a home with a full market value of $555,555, which is the number on the homeowners tax bill, not what a realtor would appraise the house at. A home with that value on their tax bill could be appraised as high as $800,000. The increase would provide an additional $4.4 million in revenue that would support Universal Prekindergarten, performing and visual arts, afterschool programs, athletics, and bargaining unit contracts. 

Mr. Formoso clarified how the District decreased expenses for transportation, yet the amount in the 2025-2026 budget is higher than the previous budget. Following the 2024-2025 budget development process, the District needed to bid on transportation contracts, and the bids were about $8 million higher than the budgeted amount. The District was able to reduce expected expenses for the upcoming school year by approximately $2 million compared to the actual expenses for 2024-2025. Mr. Raimondi also explained why the District hiring its own drivers and buying buses is not economically feasible and would increase expenses even further.

Mr. Formoso also answered questions about how the District reduced Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) expenses by reducing non–educational costs and how the budget accounts for the fact that the District does not receive its full tax levy each year.

A Zoom presentation of the budget with the Chester Hill Park Neighborhood Association will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 12. Click here to access the Zoom link. A budget presentation and school board forum will also be held at Graham School at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13.

Acting Superintendent Dr. K. Veronica Smith announced at the presentation that the District will be receiving a monitor from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for the upcoming school year and through June 30, 2027. The monitor will provide financial and academic oversight to the District and help the District implement financial and academic improvement plans. The monitor will also oversee the implementation of these plans and hold public hearings for community input.

The monitor’s responsibilities include ensuring that the budget is balanced and consistent with the District’s long-term financial plan, providing reports on the fiscal, academic and operational status of the District, and recommending cost saving measures such as shared service agreements. The monitor will serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Education.