Comsewogue School Board Adopts $81.1M Budget Proposal

Comsewogue school district voters will head to the polls on May 21 to say "yes" or "no" to a proposed $81,092,127 budget, which the Board of Education adopted on Monday by unanimous vote.

The adopted budget proposes a 3.8 percent tax levy increase – lower than what the state would have allowed under the tax cap levy law, which was 4.19 percent – and preserves current programs and services.

"It’s a good budget, has no cuts, has minor enhancements," assistant superintendent Susan Casali said on Monday.

The enhancements she referred to include "additional funds to address some security needs, replace all AEDs in the district, fall middle school cheerleading, restore away game scrimmage and an enhanced student management system."

Homeowners' taxes will go up about $227, Casali said, which is lower than the $265 estimate the district had previously provided in a February 28 presentation about the budget.

Casali said the school district benefited from an additional $352,000 in state aid over what was projected at first in the governor's original budget. Comsewogue will receive $25.6 million in state aid, of which $25.2 million is earmarked for the school's general fund.

The proposed budget carries a 3.6 percent spending increase, which superintendent Joseph Rella said would have been a 1.9 spending increase had it not been for major increases in retirement system contributions.

"The state sent us a bill for additional pensions. We have no choice," he said, adding, "We think this is the last year of these additional pension premiums."