Hamburg BOE adopts nearly $84M budget; vote scheduled for May 21

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The Hamburg Central School District says its Board of Education has adopted a proposed budget of $83,911,292 for the 2024-25 school year.

The budget was adopted during a special board meeting Tuesday morning and will be put up for a vote on May 21.

"This budget represents a budget-to-budget increase of less than 1 percent over the 23-24 budget while maintaining our academic programs, sports, clubs and visual and performing arts," a statement from Hamburg CSD said.

The approval of next year's budget follows controversial recent staff layoffs that put 16 teachers and aides out of a job. Last month, several high and middle school students walked out in protest of this.

Hamburg CSD cited a lack of funds for the layoffs, saying they had previously relied on federal COVID relief and cash reserves to support some of its staffing. In addition to these layoffs, the district says seven teachers are retiring, but their positions will not be filled.

Buffalo Public Schools, the state's second-largest school district, has also relied partially on federal COVID funding. Although the school did not deny the possibility of layoffs down the line, the district claims to have a plan to avoid them.