Voters in area school districts will take to the polls May 16 to decide on budgets that stay within the state’s mandated tax cap with one district, William Floyd, looking to reduce the tax levy by 17.88% in a budget that reflects the increase in state aid that all schools are enjoying. The districts are also choosing trustees with a number of incumbents seeking reelection. Full descriptions of the proposed spending plans along with line by line revenue and expenditure breakdowns are available on district websites, in addition to newsletters mailed to residents.
CENTER MORICHES
The school board presented 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. Tax revenue will cover $25,657,867 of the proposed plan, which is a little less than a half million dollars over last year, with tuition and state education aid making up the difference. The district is also looking to add $3.1 million to the budget from a fund balance, reserve monies, and a miscellaneous account.
The district said it will continue a focus on student mental health, security and safety, and addressing learning loss by moving programming into the general fund budget as grants expire, in addition to a new elementary math program and sustainability initiative. Included in the spending plan is a capital account transfer of $100,000 for continued upgrades of student bathrooms at the high school and repairs and upgrades throughout the school’s buildings. The district is also planning for more full-time security guards and camera upgrades.
“The development of the proposed budget was guided by two main goals: providing our children with the highest-quality education while being conscious of the impact the budget has on the taxpayer,” the district said in its budget announcement. The proposed budget will cover the addition of an English as a New Language teacher, expanded clerical support in the guidance department to assist students preparing to enter college or the workforce, more Pupil Personnel Services staff to prioritize social-emotional wellness, and an additional health/physical education teacher. “Over the past five years, the district has reduced the percentage of revenue sourced from the taxpayers by almost 10 percent,” the school announced. This was made possible by increases in state aid, in particular the restoration of state Foundation Aid.
Also on the ballot will be the election of two trustees to the board of education for three-year terms. Thomasina Harrell is currently the only announced candidate with voters having the option to write in candidates. The district will host a public hearing on the budget May 3 at 7:00 p.m. The vote will be held at the Clayton Huey Elementary School gymnasium on Main Street from 7 a.m to 9 p.m.
EAST MORICHES
The school board has proposed a $31,157,300 spending plan which is $758,670 over the current budget. If approved by the voters, the plan will increase the tax levy by .99%. The district anticipates $8,105,936 in state aid, a 9.7% increase over last year. Other propositions on the ballot will allow 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.
Another ballot measure asks for approval of a Reserve Fund for “such repairs to be of a type not recurring annually or at shorter intervals…in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 from the unassigned fund balance and appropriations remaining from the 2022-2023 school year or any subsequent school year through 2027-2028,” the district reported. The expenditure would not require the levy of any additional taxes.
Running unopposed for new three-year terms on the board of education are Hope Kaufman and Michael Griffin. A budget hearing will take place May 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Elementary School Cafetorium. The vote on May 16 will also take place in the cafetorium from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
EASTPORT-SOUTH MANOR
Voters will decide on a $109,736,930 budget for the Eastport-South Manor district, an increase in spending of $5,766,669 necessitating a tax cap-compliant 2.76% tax levy increase. Nearly 37 percent of the budget will be covered by $40,546,092 in state funding, school officials noted.
Included in the budget is an allocation to the Capital Fund to complete the financial commitment for the work completed at the Jr-Sr High School and South Street Elementary School for a $224,783 roof project, the school reported. Last year’s budget transferred $1.6 million to the Capital Fund for roof repairs for a total project cost of $1,849,783. The repairs will be reimbursed by the state and the district will receive $1,423,332 over the next 15 years as building aid, according to district officials.
The proposed budget reflects a 54 percent increase in spending for security to $1.6 million, with employee benefits going up 10.3% to $21.5 million. Special education funding will go up about six percent to $15,590,660, while English as a Second Language will see a 10 percent jump to $900,000 under the spending package.
There are three board of education seats up for consideration: two three-year terms and a two-year term. The three-year seats are currently held by incumbents Jeffrey Goldhammer and Renee Pastor. The Board had a vacancy this year and Joseph Sammarco was appointed by the board of education to fill the vacancy until the next election, the district reported. A May 3 budget hearing is scheduled at the Junior-Senior High School. Voters can take to the polls between 6 a.m to 9 p.m at the school.
LONGWOOD
The district’s proposed $291 million budget, an increase in spending by $20 million, will come with a .97% increase in taxes, according to Longwood’s annual budget presentation. The spending plan, bolstered by $119.4 million in state aid, represents a 7.38% increase in spending over last year. The school will also use a fund balance of $6.7 million and miscellaneous revenue of $8.3 million to meet the planned expenses. A large portion of the spending increase is necessitated by higher transportation costs and utilities, the school said, as well as health insurance and benefit increases.
District goals for the spending include increasing graduation rates and eliminating an achievement gap, in addition to maintaining a strong curriculum, instructional practices and faculty development, school officials said. Longwood is also looking to maintain the district’s smaller class sizes and low teacher-to-student ratios in each of its elementary schools. Funding will be put toward retaining staff by affording contractual and insurance benefit increased costs, the district reported. Tutoring will also be increased. “This budget, which maintains and adds student programs, clubs and other opportunities, as well as increases technology initiatives across the district, is fiscally responsible for residents while providing long-term multi-year sustainability for district operations. This reduction in taxes while adding programs is made possible due to New York State fully funding foundation aid.
On the ballot for two trustee seats will be Christina Jackson, Phyllis D. Bush-Butler and Gina Pozzolano Gebbia. The Longwood School District is divided into four election districts with voting locations determined by zip code:
Zip Codes 11727, 11763, or 11766: Coram Elementary School
Zip Codes 11953 or 11764: West Middle Island Elementary School
Zip Codes 11961 or 11786: Ridge Elementary School
Zip Codes 11980, 11967 or 11973: Charles E. Walters Elementary School
A budget hearing will take place on May 4 with the vote taking place from 7 a.m to 9 p.m. on May 16.
 |
The district has presented a $140,882,000 budget which carries a tax levy of 2.75%, a plan that maintains all existing programs and enhances several areas, according to school officials. The budget 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. Additionally, funding is provided to help defray the cost of field trips for students from low-income families, for upgraded equipment for the antiquated high school Mac lab, and for the replacement of a playground and musical instruments that are no longer usable. The budget also includes a $1 million interfund transfer to capital. A transfer to capital is a budgeting tool that allows the district to make improvements to its facilities on an ongoing basis and also garner state building aid, the district explained.
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, according to the district.
The trustees are looking for the approval of an expenditure of no more than $2.5 million from the Capital Reserve Fund to finance projects for new windows at the Verne W. Critz Elementary School.
Incumbent trustees Cheryl A. Felice and E. Anne Hayes is seeking reelection with Donna Ingrassia also on the ballot. A budget hearing will be held May 3 at the Middle School Auditorium at 6:15 p.m. with the budget vote taking place there May 16 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
WILLIAM FLOYD
The board of education put forth a budget calling for a 17.88% tax decrease which amounts to a reduction of $1,055 in taxes for the average assessed home in the district. The budget, which will both maintain and add student programs, clubs and other opportunities, as well as increase technology initiatives across the district, is fiscally responsible for residents while providing long-term multi-year sustainability for district operations, according to the district’s budget message. The reduction in taxes while adding programs is made possible due to the state fully funding Foundation Aid, the district reported. If approved by voters, William Floyd will spend $292,518,144 with state aid covering $173,421,573 in expenses.
“The board of education has continued to put forth fiscally responsible budgets as evidenced by staying at or below the tax cap limit for the 12th consecutive year (every year during the tax cap era),” the district pointed out. “This year's reduction to the budget of approximately $17.5 million in residents' portion of the tax levy is due to the fiscal responsibility of the district along with the state funding Foundation Aid to its full extent. This is the second consecutive year that the district has reduced taxes ($5 million reduction last year) after a tax freeze three years ago.”
Voters will be asked to elect two trustees for three-year terms in seats currently held by Angelo Cassarino and Robert Taiani, as well as choose a third board member to fill the remainder of the term previously held by Robert Guerriero, a position currently held by Luis J. Soto. The candidates are running unopposed.
A budget hearing is scheduled for May 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Jeananne Dawson Memorial Library at the high school. The hearing will be followed by a regularly-scheduled board of education meeting. The vote will take place at the high school from 7 a.m to 9 p.m. on the 16th.