Residents across Suffolk gave their local schools a vote of confidence with the approval of spending plans and the reelection of mostly incumbents to trustee boards. All districts stayed within the state-mandated tax cap with one, William Floyd, approving a 17.88% reduction in the tax levy. Flush with state education aid, most districts increased or maintained programs and had various propositions approved.
CENTER MORICHES
Voters approved a $51,770,880 spending package that carries a 1.97% tax increase for its 2023-2024 budget cycle, a $4.19 million increase over last year. The vote was 352-234 and stayed within the tax cap. A little more than $3 million was transferred to the spending plan from a fund balance, reserve monies, and a miscellaneous account. The budget includes $100,000 for bathroom upgrades and other repairs. A a m It will also fund more full-time security guards and camera upgrades. Two trustees, Thomasina Harrell and Dawn DiPeri, were elected to three-year terms.
EAST MORICHES
A $31,157,300 spending plan, about $758,000 over the current budget, was approved 405-79. The plan increases the tax levy by .99%. Measures allowing the district to send 9-12th grade students to Center Moriches, Eastport South-Manor and Westhampton Beach over the next five years and avail district residents of the services of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System were approved.
Running unopposed for new three-year terms, Michael Griffin and Hope Kaufman were elected to the school board.
EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR
Voters went with a $109,736,930 budget for the district which carries an increase in spending of $5,766,669 with a tax cap-compliant 2.76% tax levy increase. The budget includes an allocation to the Capital Fund for a $224,783 roof project. It carries a 54 percent increase in spending for security to $1.6 million, with employee benefits going up 10.3% to $21.5 million.
Jeffrey Goldhammer, Renee Pastor and Joseph Sammarco were elected to the school board.
LONGWOOD
The district won approval, 1,544-606, of a $291 million budget which carries an increase in spending of $20 million and comes with a .97% increase. The spending plan, bolstered by $119.4 million in state aid, represents a 7.38% increase in spending over last year. A large portion of the spending increase is necessitated by higher transportation costs and utilities, as well as health insurance and benefit increases.
Phyllis D. Bush-Butler and Gina Pozzolano Gebbia were elected to three-year terms as trustees.
SOUTH COUNTRY
District voters okayed a $140,882,000 budget which carries a tax levy of 2.75% by a vote of 1,064-719. The plan maintains all existing programs and adds new staff, including a director of technology, a restorative justice coach, a work-based learning coordinator, three special education teachers and a foreign language teacher for a new program for grade six. The budget includes a $1 million interfund transfer for capital projects. They also propose the creation of a $10 million Capital Reserve Fund for improvements, facilities reconstruction, rehabilitation repair and upgrades including reconstruction and renovation of current facilities, pavements and grounds, asbestos abatement, heating/ventilation, plumbing, masonry work, structural repairs and replacements of doors, windows, floors and roofs, site work, and other related work. Voters also approved $2.5 million from the Capital Reserve Fund to finance projects for new windows at the Verne W. Critz Elementary School.
Cheryl A. Felice, E. Anne Hayes, and Donna Ingrassia were elected to three-year terms on the board of trustees.
WILLIAM FLOYD
Residents voted 1,076-204 in approving a budget that cuts taxes 17.88%, a reduction of $1,055 in taxes for the average assessed home in the district. The budget will both maintain and add student programs, clubs and other opportunities, as well as increase technology initiatives across the district. William Floyd will spend $292,518,144 under the plan with state aid covering $173,421,573 in expenses.
Voters re-elected trustees Robert Taiani and Angelo Cassarino and chose Luis J. Soto for three-year terms.