BY AUBREY HAYES AND ABBEY PAUL
Special to the Press-Republican
SARANAC — The Saranac Board

of Education adopted a 4.66% bud-
get increase to $47 million for the

coming school year.
The plan would come with a
2.74% tax hike that would help raise
an additional $2.1 million for the
district.

Residents will have the opportu-
nity to weigh in at a public hearing

May 11 ahead of the May 19 budget
vote.
The adopted plan would eliminate

a preschool teacher, elementary

teacher, elementary special educa-
tion teacher and IT position, busi-
ness administrator Danielle McAfee

said during the meeting.
“We never want to make any
reductions, but the largest effect is
looking at the section reduction of
the elementary, (Kindergarten to
fifth grade),” Superintendent Javier
Perez said.
Last month, the board announced

the district faced a $3.3 million bud-
get deficit.

The resulting budget cuts mirror
what is happening in schools across

the state as they struggle with rising
costs and the loss of state grants.
Saranac Teachers Association
President Michele Bushey said she
has met numerous times with Perez
and the board to hash out a plan that
could retain critical programs and
services.
“You have shown us that you
care by going with the plan that
retains the greatest number of
critical programs and services that
make Saranac Central the highest
quality public school that it is,”
Bushey said.
But she urged the board to think

twice before making cuts that might
combine classrooms and lead to
larger class sizes.

“Differentiated instruction re-
quires sufficient space to conduct

smaller instruction,” Bushey said.
While the board is asking the

community for more money, resi-
dents are asking the schools to get

creative in saving money.
During public comment, Saranac
resident Marty Perry questioned
why the district continues to rent
the former Cadyville Elementary

School building, now Saranac Pre-
school and previously Adirondack

Helping Hands.

The 72-year-old building report-
edly cost the district $991,000 in

repairs since it was purchased in
2024.
“They’re flushing money at
Cadyville, and that’s what’s adding
to the budget,” Perry said.
Perez said the district is strapped
for space.
“But if things take a shift, then

we’ll certainly take a look at poten-
tially being able to shift things into

the buildings,” he said.
Saranac’s Board of Education
meets again Wednesday.