Comsewogue school officials decided to stay under the tax levy cap this year, and their efforts paid off on Tuesday when voters approved the $81.1 million budget proposal.
The approval of the 2013-2014 budget came with 1,243 people voting for it and 534 people voting against the budget, for a margin of 69.9 percent voting “yes.”
The tax levy will increase by 3.8 percent, which is below the level of what the district could have raised while still needing only a simple majority of voter approval under New York state’s tax levy cap law. Homeowners will see an average tax increase of $227.
School officials have said the newly approved budget maintains the current programs and services while making room for several enhancements, including security needs, replacement of all automated external defibrillators, fall middle school cheerleading, off-site athletic scrimmages, and a new student information management system.
Incumbent school board trustees Francisca Alabau-Blatter and Rob DeStefano won new terms with 915 and 1,042 votes, respectively. Challengers John Rossini and Chris McCrary received 497 and 611 votes, respectively.
Proposition 2 also passed, with 83.5 percent voter approval. This will allow the district to transfer $276,747 from one section of its budget to its capital project fund for the purpose of safety and security improvements, with no cost to taxpayers.
This time last year, Comsewogue voters rejected a budget that attempted to pierce the state-mandated tax levy cap. A second budget at the tax cap eventually passed.
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