Week in Review: All Local School Budgets Pass

Comptroller: Port Jefferson Woman Stole Nearly $60K from Old Field VillageA state audit and investigation into the Village of Old Field has uncovered the alleged theft of close to $60,000 in village money by its former treasurer, the state comptroller announced Wednesday.
Andrea Brosnan, 42, of Port Jefferson, was arrested Wednesday. She pleaded not guilty in District Court to charges of second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records, and defrauding the government, each a felony, as well as official misconduct, a misdemeanor. She was released on her own recognizance.
Fire Engulfs Mt. Sinai Karate Center; Seven Businesses AffectedThe American Samurai Jiu-Jitsu Center in Mt. Sinai sustained extensive damage in a fire Thursday night that affected seven businesses.
A call came in at around 10:30 p.m. Thursday about a fire at the store at 331 Route 25A in the Northgate Plaza. According to police, the fire originated in the Karate place and there were no injuries. Damage to the store was extensive while the other businesses had smoke and water damage.
Mt. Sinai School Budget Passes by 71 PercentThe Mt. Sinai community came out and "overwhelmingly" passed the school budget and a proposition to transfer existing funds of $327,000 from the capital reserve to pay for a renovation of the Middle School roof, according to Superintendent Enrico Crocetti.
The  $55.2 million budget did not exceed the district’s tax levy cap and is a spending increase of .96 percent over the current budget.
Port Jefferson Voters Approve $39.3M BudgetVoters on Tuesday approved the Port Jefferson School District’s $39.3 million budget proposal, with 72.8 percent of voter approval: 656 people voted for and 244 people voted against the under-cap budget.
"We are very thrilled that the community continues to support the program that we've put together for our students," superintendent Ken Bossert said. "We will continue to work hard to meet the expectations that this confidence in our district shows."
Comsewogue School Budget PassesComsewogue 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.”