Medina’s proposed $48 million school budget would raise taxes by 2%
District under tax cap for 17th straight year
MEDINA – School officials have put together a $47,998,851 proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year.
District residents will go to the polls on May 19 from noon to 8 p.m. in the Oak Orchard Primary School Gymnasium, 335 West Oak Orchard St.
The budget increases spending by 2.89 percent from the current $46,648,693. The tax levy, what the district collects in property taxes, would increase by 1.97 percent – from $9,170,809 to $9,351,474.
State and federal aid are at $36,556,210 and covers 76.2 percent of the budget. Property taxes represent 19.5 percent of the budget.
School officials provided these highlights of the budget:
- Maintaining all existing programs, sports and extracurricular activities
- Continued commitment to providing school supplies for all students
- Review of current and future contractual obligations
- Purchases 2 full-sized buses and one half-sized bus.
- Support for district strategic priorities
- Providing students with the most up-to-date programming and facilities
- Development of a new 5-year staffing plan
- Use of available reserves and fund balance to balance the budget
The budget is again under the tax cap – for the 17th straight year.
“The budget was developed with the Medina Central School District’s vision and mission in mind, guiding all budgeting decisions,” Board President Alissa Mitchell wrote in a letter to the community. “Additionally, the long-range fiscal planning of our Board of Education has allowed the District to submit a budget below the tax cap for the seventeenth straight year.”
There are three candidates for three open seats on the Board of Education:
Steven Blount – A physician assistant at Rochester Regional Health Medina Family Medicine, Blount has been on the board the past three years. Since 2023, he has earned a Doctorate in Health Administration and an MBA.
“I am running to ensure that our district operates with transparency and accountability while maintaining the excellence in education you have come to expect,” Dr. Blount state din the district newsletter. “I want to bring my experience in complex problem-solving and evidence-based practice to the Board to help navigate the challenges facing our schools, ensuring every child in Medina has the resources and support to reach their fullest potential.”
LuAnn Tierney – A retired teacher at Roy-Hart, Tierney currently is a track and field official for USATF, NCAA and NFHS. She has been on the Board of Education for six years.
“My goal is to help create an environment on the school board that is supportive of education, supportive of our staff, and our community,” Tierney said. “This will allow us to have the ability to weigh everyone’s opinion, come to consensus and respect the outcome. We have always worked to do our best to provide a quality education while keeping the tax rate increases to a minimum. We continue to explore new ways to improve and grow as a district.”
Mackenzie Sullivan – The nursing supervisor for Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital, Sullivan is a Medina graduate.
“I would like to serve in this role to help ensure that our standard of excellence continues well into the future,” she said. “As a parent of a current student in our district, I am also a personal stakeholder in the success of the Medina CSD. In my career as a registered nurse, I am well versed in NYS regulatory agencies and the struggles of navigating amongst them, bringing that experience and viewpoint to the board.”
