Public Budget Hearing for Ithaca City School District on May 12, 2026.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING, PERSONAL REGISTRATION AND ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF THE ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Public Budget Hearing of the Ithaca City School District (the “District”) for the discussion of the expenditures and budgeting of funds for the 2026-2027 school year will be held at the District Administration Building, 400 Lake Street, Ithaca, New York, in the Board Room on May 12, 2026, commencing at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time (E.D.S.T.). NOTICE is also given that voting on: (I) the 2026-2027 annual District budget, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 1; (II) the appropriation and expenditure of funds from the District’s “2022 Capital Reserve Fund” to purchase school buses and to complete capital repairs, as set forth in Proposition No. 2; (III) the establishment of a reserve fund in accordance with Section 3651 of New York State Education Law, as set forth in Proposition No. 3; (IV) the authorization of capital improvements in the District, as set forth in Proposition No. 4; (V) the election of members of the District’s Board of Education; and (VI) the transaction of such other business as is authorized by law, will take place at the Annual District Meeting and Election on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the District’s designated polling places, in Election Districts numbered 1-12, between the hours of 12:00 noon and 9 p.m., E.D.S.T., and that voting shall be conducted by voting machine. NOTICE is also given that district residents may obtain a copy of a statement prepared by the Board of Education of the estimated expenses and the amount of money that will be required for school purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, together with the appendages required by Education Law §1716, may be obtained at each school in the District; at the District Office, 400 Lake Street, Ithaca, New York, on and after May 5, 2026, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., each weekday except Saturday, Sunday or holiday; at the Tompkins County Public Library; and on the District’s internet website at: http://www.ithacacityschools.org. NOTICE is also given, in accordance with §495 of the N.Y. Real Property Tax Law, that the District shall prepare a Real Property Tax “Exemption Report” which will show how much of the assessed value on the final assessment roll (utilized for the school tax levy) is exempt from taxation by the District. The exemption report will list every type of exemption granted and will show: (1) the cumulative impact of each type of exemption; (2) the cumulative amount expected to be received as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS), or other payments, from recipients of each type of exemption; (3) the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. The Exemption Report will be posted on the District’s website and on District bulletin boards utilized for posting public notices. The Exemption Report will be annexed to any preliminary District budget, and will become part of the final budget. NOTICE is also given, that in addition to the proposed District budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year and school year, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 1, the following proposition will be submitted to the voters, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 2: Proposition No. 2 Shall the Board of Education of the Ithaca City School District (the “District”) be authorized to appropriate funds from the District's “2022 Capital Reserve Fund” in the maximum amount of $2,346,308 and to expend these combined funds for the following purposes: 1) Purchase of up to seven (7) 70 passenger ultra-low emission propane buses for long range travel; and 2) Purchase of up to one (1) 30 passenger ultra-low emission propane buses for long range travel; 3) purchase of up to two (2) wheelchair equipped 66 passenger ultra-low emission propane buses for long range travel; 4) Interior/exterior renovations at Cayuga Heights Elementary School, to include structural and door repairs? NOTICE is also given, that in addition to the proposed propositions above, the following proposition will be submitted to the voters, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 3: Proposition No. 3 Shall the Board of Education of the Ithaca City School District (the “District”) be authorized to establish a reserve fund in accordance with Section 3651 of the New York Education Law, to be known as the “2026 Capital Reserve Fund,” for a probable term of five (5) years, commencing on July 1, 2026 and ending on June 30, 2031, for the purpose of financing, in whole or in part, the purchase of school buses and other vehicles and/or the cost of authorized alterations, construction and/or reconstruction of District facilities, buildings and/or additions, including related site work, health and safety improvements, and handicap accessibility improvements, and to fund this 2026 Capital Reserve Fund in the maximum amount of $10,000,000, excluding interest earnings, in the current or future years through various sources including, but not limited to, state aid reimbursement, cost saving measures resulting in unexpended funds or unappropriated fund balance and other legally available funds of the District? NOTICE is also given, that in addition to the proposed propositions above, the following proposition will be submitted to the voters, which will appear on the ballot as Proposition No. 4: Proposition No. 4 Shall the bond resolution adopted by the Board of Education on March 10, 2026, authorizing the construction of improvements to and reconstruction of various School District buildings and facilities, including site improvements, transportation infrastructure upgrades and original furnishings, equipment, machinery, apparatus, appurtenances, and the incidental improvements and expenses in connection therewith, at a maximum estimated cost of $43,900,000, and the issuance of $43,900,000 bonds of said School District to pay the cost thereof, to mature over a period not exceeding 30 years, providing that such bonds shall be payable from amounts to be levied in annual installments on taxable real property of said School District; pledging the District’s faith and credit for the payment of such bonds; delegating powers to the chief fiscal officer with respect to the issuance and sale of bond anticipation notes and such bonds, containing an estoppel clause and providing for the publication of an estoppel notice, be approved? NOTICE is also given that three members of the Board of Education will be elected due to the expiration of the terms of Sean Eversley Bradwell, Garrick Blalock, and Madeline Cardona. The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to an at large full three-year term from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. Pursuant to the provisions of the Education Law, candidates for the at large office of Member of the Board of Education shall be nominated by petition. A separate petition shall be required to nominate each candidate. Each petition shall be signed by at least 100 qualified voters of the District, and shall state the name and residence of the candidate and each signer. Each petition shall be filed with the Clerk of the District between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. E.D.S.T., but no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Forms of petition may be obtained from the Clerk of the District and on the district website at http://www.ithacacityschools.org NOTICE is given that the District has established personal registration of voters and has divided the School District into 12 election districts. Accordingly, the only persons entitled to vote on May 19, 2026 are those who are “qualified voters” and who are “registered” to vote as set forth herein. To be a “qualified voter” a person must be a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, and a legal resident of the District for a period of 30 days immediately preceding May 19, 2026. If a “qualified voter” has previously registered with the District or with the County Board of Elections and has voted within the last four (4) calendar years, he or she is eligible to vote at the May 19, 2026 Annual District Meeting and Election without re-registering. All other persons who wish to vote at the Annual District Meeting and Election must either pre-register with the District as set forth below, or be registered with the Tompkins County Elections Board to vote in general elections, pursuant to the provisions of Article 5 of the Election Law, on the date of the District’s Annual District Meeting and Election. NOTICE is given that for those “qualified voters” who are not yet “registered” to vote, the District has authorized continuous registration of qualified voters in the Office of the Clerk of the School District, 400 Lake Street, Ithaca, New York, until May 5, 2026, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., at which time any qualified voter who appears personally will be entitled to hav