At last night's meeting of the Hudson City School District Board of Education, some alarming news was revealed. The budget for the 2026-2027 school year now being proposed is $61,449,000--5.1 percent more than the budget for the current school year ($58,544,000), which apparently translates into a 10 percent increase in the tax levy.
There was a time when the HCSD budget seemed to increase regularly by $1 million a year. Last year, the increase was $2.5 million. This year, the proposed increase is very close to $3 million.
Last night's school board meeting, as well as the presentation of the plans for the reconstruction of the tennis courts on Paddock Place, which took place at the February 24 meeting, inspired Ken Sheffer, alumnus and critic of HCSD, historian and champion of the Depression Era achievement that was the Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Educational Center, and accomplished tennis player, to write this piece: "A 10% Tax Levy Increase and the Hudson Board of Education Can't Even Spell 'Tennis.'" It's long, and much of it has to do with the restoration of the tennis courts, which may or may not be of interest to all readers, although it should be of interest to anyone who cares about preserving Hudson history, but I encourage everyone to read it. It provides insight into the workings of the school district we pay dearly to support.
COPYRIGHT 2026 CAROLE OSTERINK
I think it’s finally time for the voters to vote no on the school budget. This is out of control. At this point it would be cheaper to pay tuition for each student to go to a private school with an Uber each way.
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