As we enter the third full year of financing the voter-approved $75 million capital improvement project, we must continue to budget necessary funds for planned construction costs in our next budget year. 

Next year, we estimate needing $5.4 million to finance the principal and interest expenses, a sizable $866,148 increase over this year’s $4.5 million costs. This 19% increase is well above our overall 3% budget-to-budget increase. It is also well above our 2.96% tax levy increase as Eastchester remains below the tax cap. 

We must continue to fund the critical safety and security improvements in our schools. Combined with our four Eastchester SROs and expanded security costs, our children and staff have never been safer. 

We must continue to fund the heating and ventilation upgrades to our aging buildings as well as infrastructure renovations and building maintenance. We must continue to support program enhancements, such as converting the HS/MS Library to a modern media center. 

Finally, athletic fields and site improvements, ranging from repaved parking lots and replaced asphalt walks to turf field replacement and ADA-compliant ramps and parking lots must continue to be supported. 

We are grateful for the capital improvements to date. Our children are benefiting from three new playgrounds at each of our elementary campuses. The new building signage and athletic scoreboards are welcomed by all. But we can not ignore the obvious; these projects cost money, whether they are funded through the capital project, facility codes or transfer to capital. It all comes down to the general fund budget, approved each year, by voters. 

We must continue the good work being done. The Eagle must soar higher!