Saturday, May 19, 2012
Read about results of elections in local schools across the area.
Locally we sa one school ditrict pass a budget that stuck to the New York State tax cap (Port Jefferson) and another that just missed a supermajority (Comsewogue). But how did other districts do? Read about how it went in surrounding school elections. Mount Sinai's $55.4 Million Budget Fails, Falling Short of Supermajority District's tax cap-piercing budget gets shut down by voters, only receiving 52.4 percent approval. Three Village Rejects $178.6M Cap-Busting Budget Voters fail to reach required supermajority by 4 percent. Rocky Point Residents Approve $71.6 Million Budget District's budget earns 62 percent of the vote, passing by the supermajority necessary while piercing the tax levy cap. Voters Pass $65 Million Budget for Miller Place…
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Board of Education will meet to discuss what budget to adopt and put up for a vote on June 19.
It's back to the drawing board for Comsewogue School District as administrators must now come up with an alternative budget plan to present for a vote after the 4.5 percent New York State tax cap busting budget failed to pass with a needed supermajority of 60 percent of the vote. The budget lost by just over 1 percent getting support from 58.7 percent of voters, only 33 individual votes shy of passing. According to Assistant Superintendent for Business, Susan Casali, the next budget vote will be June 19. Casali said that the Board of Education will decide which budget to present. The board has already stated at public meetings they will present the property tax cap level budget of 2.6 percent with $2.9 million needed to be eliminated from …
After budget fails, Mt. Sinai looks to make cuts to present a budget at the tax cap level.
The Mt. Sinai School District tried piercing the tax levy cap in order to keep its current program, but the community spoke and rejected the budget Tuesday, which means cuts to the program are likely. "Obviously everybody’s disappointed, we’ve got to go through it again and spend some money," Superintendent Anthony Bonasera said. "The law is the law, 55 percent of the people voted on the budget and that was no longer the majority. That’s what we’re dealing with." At previous budget presentations, the district presented cuts that would be made without piercing the tax cap, and now that the district must present a budget at the cap, Bonasera said residents should expect those cuts to be made. "I would expect everything we spoke to the public…
After tax cap-piercing budget fails, what actions should the district take in order to preserve vital programs.
The Mt. Sinai School District proposed a budget that pierced the tax cap, and it failed Tuesday after the community did not give it the necessary 60 percent supermajority approval. Now, the administration and Board of Education must put together a budget that does not exceed the allowable cap of 2.13 percent for the district. Concessions were made before Tuesday's budget vote from both the Mount Sinai Teachers Association and administrators. A renegotiated teacher's chontract gave back a total of $6.4 million to the district, and the current adminstrator give back is at $3,500, while discussions may still be ongoing. In previous budget presentations, Superintendent Anthony Bonasera mentioned that without piercing the tax cap, the district …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
District's tax cap-piercing budget gets shut down by voters, only receiving 52.4 percent approval.
A budget of $55,364,115 for the Mt. Sinai School District has been rejected by voters Tuesday by a vote of 1263-1147. The budget, which pierces the tax levy cap with a 4.76 percent increase, fell short of a 60 percent supermajority with 52.4 percent yes votes. With the budget failed, administrators and the Board of Education must go back to the table and propose a budget that does not exceed the tax levy cap. In recent presentations, the district forecasted the possible loss of clubs and athletics with a budget that does not pierce the tax levy cap. A budget revote will be held in the coming weeks. In the Board of Education election, the two seats were won by Donna Compagnone, with 955 votes, and Lynn Capobianco, with 801 votes. John …
School board member says voter turnout was 25 percent higher.
Comsewogue school district's $79 million spending budget for the 2012-2013 school year did not get the supermajority it needed to pass. On Tuesday night the budget failed by a vote of 1514 to 1064, not enough to get the 60 percent required, according to school board member Rob DeStefano. Update: School board member Fran Alabau-Blatter says that the district is recounting the votes. Check back for final results. At 4.5 percent, the Superintendent's budget proposed to raise the tax levy above the state mandated maximum. To do this, the budget needed to pass by 60 percent of the vote. Ultimately it did not get the votes it needed to pass. The budget ended up getting 58.7 percent of the residents voting yes, just over 1 percent shy of passing…
Voters approved the $38 million budget that stuck to a 2 percent increase in the tax levy.
Residents from Port Jefferson school district passed a $38 million spending budget on Tuesday for the 2012-2013 school year by a vote of 787 to 342, according to the district's website. Voters also put a new member on the Board of Education. Vincent Ruggiero took the third seat up for grabs with 571 votes. Mark Doyle was kept his seat on the board with 632 votes as did James Laffey with 604. Ellen Boehm received 525 votes and Shawn Cohen got 296. The budget comes in at an even 2 percent tax levy increase, which is under the New York State mandated cap. The budget is $38,045,901.50, a 1.85 percent increase from last year's budget. In order to stick to the tax cap, the budget comes with some cuts. Moving from a 10-period to a nine-period day…
On soggy day, Comsewogue sees a packed house while Port Jefferson is off from last year.
At Port Jefferson School District, the turnout was lower than normal while Comsewogue has seen a rush of people come in to vote. Whether it was the rain or the fact that this year's budget vote was not as contentiously debated in the district as the one before, Port Jefferson has seen fewer voters turn out on Tuesday, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Sean Leister. At around 6 p.m. at Port Jefferson High School, Leister said that he estimated voter turnout was about 200 off from last year but it was definitely more people coming out to vote than two or three years ago. "People are more involved," he said. He said that rain might be a factor in keeping residents home thought that it could pick up once people got home from …
We asked administrators what happens if Comsewogue and Port Jefferson School District budgets fail.
Last year, Port Jefferson and Comsewogue School Districts passed both their budgets by very different margins. In Port Jefferson the budget just squeaked by while Comsewogue overwhelmingly came out in support of their budget. This year, there are other variables besides the simple numbers. Comsewogue residents will be voting on another big tax levy increase, one that busts the New York State tax cap passed into law last year. In order to pass, it needs a supermajority of 60 percent of the vote. If it fails, Assistant Superintendent for Business Susan Casali said that by law the next budget vote will be on Jun 19. Casali said that the Board of Education will decide which budget to present but they have already stated during public meetings …
Where to vote in today's school elections at Comsewogue and Port Jefferson.
On Tuesday, residents across the area head out to vote for school budgets and open Board of Education seats. Below is where you can go to vote if you are eligible. Comsewogue According to the school district's website, voting will be held on Tuesday, May 15 in the Comsewogue High School Gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Port Jefferson Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 15 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the cafeteria at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School.
Fred
10:50 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012
while a good school is a asset to a community, taxes also have a profoundly negative impact. When you go to sell your home, the tax levy will directly effect what you get offered. To propose a cap busting budget a year after a 7+% is turning your back on the community that pay for said teachers more ›