Schools
Port Jeff School Budget Passes By Slim Margin
Voters approved the $37.3 million budget that included an 8.93 percent increase in the tax rate for residents.
In a close vote, residents from Port Jefferson school district passed a $37.3 million spending budget on Tuesday for the 2011-2012 school year by a vote of 832 to 807.
Voters also put one new member onto the school board and re-elected in an incumbent. Isak Prohovnik took the most votes with 954 while Robert J. Ramus who was defending his seat received 874 votes. Another challenger James Laffey got 787 votes.
The budget represents a 0 percent increase from last year's total budget but because of mandated increases in contracted pay, benefits, transportation and special education costs the school administrators still had to come up with $2.7 million in savings.
Find out what's happening in Port Jeffersonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
, the savings came from a mix of non-instructional and administrative personnel cuts.
The new budget means an 8.93 percent increase in the tax rate for homeowners in Port Jefferson. According to Mark Flower, assistant superintendent for business, the increase will result in a rate of $131.55 per $100 of assessed value. For a home with a market value of $632,000, the annual increase translates to about $543 for the year.
Find out what's happening in Port Jeffersonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Voting took place at in Port Jefferson on Tuesday between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Port Jefferson UFSD Budget and Board Election Results 2011
Isak Prohovnik - 954 Robert J. Ramus - 874 James Laffey - 787
Courtesy of Port Jefferson School district.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.