During preliminary budget presentations, the district announced its plans to discontinue several positions that were funded using federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds that end this year.
The total budget is $12,092,886, up $593,820 over this year. Superintendent James Brosnan noted that the net school spending for the communities in the regional district has also increased, putting the total over minimum assessment at 1.9 percent.
While the majority is attributed to the budget approved by the School Committee, this also includes a healthy amount of state aid and funds from other city departments.
The Central Berkshire Regional School District is anticipating a 3.35 percent increase to its operating budget for fiscal 2025, which translates to nearly a little more than $1 million over this year.
The budget of $72,398,262 is a 7.56 percent, or $5,086,562, increase from this year. Most of the increase is in contractual obligations, which increased by about $4.7 million.
Two positions were removed from the $72.3 million budget, a part-time assistant athletic director and full-time human resources assistant, to make room for two full-time librarians located at Pittsfield High School and Taconic High School.
Finance Committee member Dr. Thomas Irwin said he was concerned that the committee was not taking into consideration the strain tax increase will have on individuals with fixed incomes.
The proposed fiscal 2023 budget of $72,398,262 is a 7.56 percent, or $5,086,562, increase from this year. Most of the increase is in contractual obligations.