The Assistant Superintendent for Business supervises Liberty’s Business Office, which is responsible for accounting, auditing, benefits coordination, capital projects coordination, contract negotiations, facility use coordination, the district census, payroll, purchasing, records management and safety planning. The business office also supervises Buildings and Grounds, Food Services and Transportation.

2024-2025 District Budget

Liberty CSD voters approve $68M school budget proposal

On Tuesday, May 21, voters in the Liberty Central School District approved, 987-69, the district’s $68 million budget proposal for the 2024-25 school year.

“We appreciate Liberty Central School District residents’ continued support and recognition of our efforts to give our students the education they need to pursue their potential and thrive in the future,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “We are also glad we could do this without increasing the tax levy for the sixth year in a row.”

The $68,034,294 budget funds all current student programs and services, while keeping the tax levy the same as the current year. The budget includes several program expansions that support the district’s five-year strategic plan, including expanding the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) math curriculum to seventh grade, adding Syracuse University Project Advance college credit courses, as well as introducing more computer science and AI-related programs across grades.

The budget also includes the addition of a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)-certified teacher, creating an administrative athletic director position, and converting two part-time teacher aide positions into one full time teacher aid. An update to the middle school library’s innovation lab is also included

Voters also re-elected three board of education members to three-year terms on the board. Maureen Crescitelli received 605 votes, Peter Racette received 591 and Pamela Teed Fisk, 595. Three write-in candidates, Miriam Singer, Miriam Breuer and Miriam Heimlich, each received more than 400 votes, with several others receiving one vote each.

---

Snapshot

• Total Budget: $68,034,294
• Budget Change: $1,737,932 (+2.62%)
• School Tax Levy: $17,760,162
• School Tax Levy Change: $0

REVENUES

• Tax Levy: $17,760,162 (0%)  — 26.1% of revenue
• State Aid: $48,484,932 (+3.6%) — 71.3% of revenue
• Fund Balance: 0
• Reserves: 0
• Other: $1,789,200 (+3.05%) — 2.6% of revenue
• Total: $68,034,294 (+2.62%)

EXPENDITURES

• General Support: $6,079,904 (-32.41%) —  8.9% of expenditures
• Instruction: $35,555,798 (+13.27%) —  52.3% of expenditures
• Pupil Transportation: $7,134,315 (-2,56%) — 10.5% of expenditures
• Employee Benefits: $15,920,877 (+4.03%) — 23.4% of expenditures
• Debt Service: $2,888,400 (-1,19%) — 4.2% of expenditures
• Interfund Transfers: $455,000 (+26.39%) — .7 % of expenditures
• Total: $68,034,294 (+2.62%)

COMPONENTS

• Administrative Component: $7,370,342 (+8.87%) — 10.83% of budget
  • Includes salaries and benefits of administrators, supervisors, and administrative clerical staff, public information, printing, curriculum and staff development, school board costs, general insurance and professional fees.
• Program Component: $7,959,861 (+1.41%) — 77.47% of budget
  • Includes salaries and benefits of all teachers and staff who deliver pupil services (guidance, health, library/media, etc.), textbooks, co-curricular activities, athletics, and transportation costs.
• Capital Component: $52,704,091 (+1.99%) — 11.70% of budget
  • Includes salaries and benefits of maintenance and custodial staff, debt service on buildings, utilities, equipment, and  court-ordered costs.

---

School Board

Liberty Central School District has a nine-person Board of Education. All seats are at-large, with three seats up for election each year. Each member serves a three-year term.

Those who wish to run for school board must be: able to read and write; a citizen of the United States; at least 18 years of age; a qualified voter of the district; and a resident of the school district for at least one year prior to election  No employee of the school district may be a member of the board, except as permitted by law, and no more than one member of a family shall be a member of the same Board of Education.

---

Voting Information

Voters must be 18 years old,  a U.S. citizen and a district resident for at least 30 days and be registered to vote at their county board of elections, which will automatically register them to vote at the district. The last day to register with the district is five days before the election.

Along with traditional absentee balloting, which requires a reason for voting early, New York State allows for early voting via mail without requiring justification. Voters must fill out an application for either form. There are separate applications for each, but the application process and deadlines are the same for both.

Qualified voters may request an early voting or absentee ballot application by contacting District Clerk Tania DeFrank at tdefrank@LibertyK12.org or 845-292-6990. The last day for absentee/early ballot applications to be received for those who will be mailed a ballot is seven days before the vote. The last day for absentee/early ballot applications to be received in person and the ballot delivered by hand is the day before the vote. • Absentee/early voting ballots must be received by the District Clerk by 5 p.m. the day of the vote in order to be counted.

Military voters who are qualified voters of the district may apply for a military ballot by requesting an application from the district clerk and the valid application must be received no later than 5 p.m.  about 27 days before the election.  Military voters who are not registered to vote may apply to register by filling out a Military Voter Registration Application, which can also be obtained by requesting an application from the district clerk and completed applications must be received by the clerk by 5 p.m. the same day as the application deadline. Military voters may indicate a preference for receiving a military voter registration, military ballot application, or military ballot by mail, fax or email in their request for such registration, ballot application or ballot. The school district will transmit military ballots to military voters no later than the day after the deadline. Completed military ballots must be received by the district by 5 p.m. the day of the vote to be counted.

---

Everything You Need to Know About School Budgets in 60 Seconds

In New York, school leaders begin developing their school budget proposal long before the public vote in May. Each budget proposal is unique, but the planning process is similar for most schools. 

Back to Top