On Thursday, March 26, the Board of Education adopted a $28.1 million budget proposal for the 2026-27 school year.
Cambridge CSD residents will vote on the $28.1 million budget proposal on Tuesday, May 19 from 12-8 p.m. in the HS Gym. The budget proposal preserves the district’s educational programming, as well as all sports, clubs and extracurricular activities for students. In addition to the budget, residents will also vote on propositions related to vehicle purchasing, the transportation capital reserve fund allocation and the Cambridge Public Library.
Voters will also elect two candidates to fill open seats on the Board of Education. The successful candidates will serve three-year terms through June 30, 2029. Candidate petitions are due Monday, April 20 by 5 p.m. Please contact Kate Canini at 518-677-2653, ext. 1010 or kate.canini@cambridgecsd.org to pick up a Board of Education petition.
As a reminder, all individuals must provide proof of residency at the vote (driver’s license, piece of mail, etc.). Proof must include a physical address, not a P.O. Box.
Budget requires supermajority approval
The school tax levy, or total amount of money collected from local property owners, would increase by 12%. This increase exceeds the tax cap and requires a supermajority (60%) approval.
Tax rates for individual properties will be determined over the summer after equalization rates and assessments are available for the district’s eight towns. Based on what we know from last year, our best estimate of the proposed tax increase can be found below.
| Assessed Value | Estimated Monthly Increase |
| $250,000 | $31.18 |
| $300,000 | $37.41 |
| $350,000 | $43.65 |
| $400,000 | $49.88 |
Budget presentation
View the budget presentation from the March 26 Board meeting.
For additional information related to the budget, please visit the Budget & Finance page on our website.
Frequently asked questions
The district is continually updating frequently asked questions (FAQ) related to the 2026-27 school budget. If you have any questions related to the budget, please fill out this form.
Below are some questions and answers.
What happens if the budget proposal fails?
The district has two options. There is a budget revote that could take place on June 16 or the Board could adopt a contingent budget.
If a contingent budget is adopted, what services, programs and extracurriculars would be impacted?
Under a contingency budget, state law dictates spending may only be on necessary operating expenses.
If the district has to adopt a contingent budget, it would require a $1,053,168 reduction resulting in 12 staff reductions across all bargaining units.
The following items have to be eliminated according to NYSED:
- No new equipment
- No new school buses
- No annual capital outlay project
- No salary increases for management confidential employees and employees not part of a bargaining unit
- Charging for community building use would become mandatory
- Limited field trips
Have you considered cutting or restructuring administrative positions?
Yes. An administrator is retiring in June. Whenever an individual retires or leaves the district, we review if the position needs to be filled or if it can be consolidated/restructured through attrition.
Could the district utilize money from the auditorium project to offset the current revenue deficit?
No. The funds from the capital project and the district’s budget proposal are separate and cannot be used interchangeably.
Has there been any talk of consolidation?
At this time, neither the Cambridge or Salem communities have engaged in a merger discussion. If there was interest, each Board of Education would need to approve and provide funding for a feasibility study to be conducted.
Budget Vote Exit Survey
Voters will have the opportunity to fill out an anonymous and optional exit survey at the May 19 vote regarding electric (EV) school buses and a school district merger.
Voters to decide on vehicle purchase proposition
As part of the May 19 budget vote, voters will consider a proposition regarding school bus and van purchases.
This year, the district is proposing to purchase four 70-passenger diesel buses (three new, one used) and one gasoline van. The proposition reflects a total cost of $635,684, utilizing $117,000 of the transportation capital reserve fund to offset the cost. On average, 80% of the cost would be reimbursed through transportation aid.
Beginning in 2027, New York state is mandating that all school district vehicle purchases be electric, with the expectation of a fully electric fleet by 2035.
The purchases this year will help ensure the district has a full diesel fleet. The district anticipates filing waivers to NYS to delay the electric vehicle mandate.
Absentee Ballots/Early Voting
Applications for absentee ballots are obtainable between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, from the district clerk’s office at 58 South Park Street. Completed applications must be received by the district clerk at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter. Absentee ballots must be received by the district clerk no later than 5 p.m., prevailing time, on Tuesday, May 19.
The New York Early Mail Voter Act allows registered voters to request a mail-in ballot. You can request an early voter ballot in person up to the day of the election.
Public Hearing
A public hearing on the proposed 2026-27 budget will be held on Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. in the High School Library.