Voters in the Pine Bush School District approved its 2023-24 budget Tuesday, 655 to 402. The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $135.6 million and raises the local tax levy by 1.5%.

Voters also said yes to a resolution creating a capital reserve fund, 656 to 403. Three of the district’s four polling places reported wins for the budget and capital reserve fund. Only residents of Mamakating, one of seven towns in three counties that make up the district, who cast votes at the Bloomingburg Town Park, rejected the budget, 93 to 119, and the capital reserve, 95 to 117. The total number of votes cast on the budget was up 135 from 2022, according to Joseph Lenz, assistant superintendent for business. All the results are unofficial.

The capital reserve fund has a 10-year life span and can be funded with otherwise unappropriated money, up to $20 million to help offset future capital project costs only.

In a cautionary note posted Tuesday to a Facebook page called “Town of Crawford Truths,” town Supervisor Charles Carnes wrote, “Gotta be careful because taxes never go down.” Crawford is home to four of the district’s seven schools.

Two incumbents ran unopposed for re-election to the school board. Vice President Cara Robertson received 846 votes and Kristi Kheiralla received 774.

The $135.6 million budget is up $6.8 million, or 5.33%, from the current budget. Most of the increase is covered by a boost in state aid, which increased to $69.3 million from $63.4 million. The local tax levy will rise to $61.5 million, up $909,795, or 1.5%, from the current budget. The district balanced the budget with $2.89 million from its unallocated fund balance, and revenue from other sources, including the federal government.

The new budget includes money for 18 more staff members, replacing computers and Chromebooks, new musical instruments, and the district’s share of BOCES’ capital projects among other expenditures.

Both Gretchen Meier, president of the school board, and Superintendent Brian Dunn, who awaited results along with other board members and administrators at district headquarters in Pine Bush, thanked voters for their support. “We will keep doing our best to prepare our children for their best futures,” Meier said. Dunn said he was “wildly happy with our victory. This positive result will ensure continued progress and momentum toward our goals. I’m thrilled.”

Carnes’ post was more subdued. “Although it is a 1.5% increase,” he wrote referring to the tax levy, “don’t forget they also got a $6 million increase in state aid that is your tax money, plus they used fund balance and we still had an increase.” Carnes wrote that he would have preferred leaving the fund balance untapped no rise in the levy.