Proposed Port Jeff School Budget Under Tax Levy Cap

Port Jefferson School District leaders are expecting to present a budget in May that stays below the permitted tax levy cap, calling for a 3.10 percent tax levy increase year-over-year.

The $39.3 million spending plan – still under review and subject to change – was presented by Superintendent Ken Bossert and Assistant Superintendent for Business Sean Leister at Monday night's Village Board meeting in Village Hall, and is expected to come in slightly below the 3.19 percent increase permitted under state laws.

Despite a $1.3 million increase in mandated expenses such as retirement and health insurance – increases which are excluded when calculating the district's tax levy cap – one-time construction projects that were paid for last year totaling $750,000 are not in next year's budget.

"By reducing capital projects we are spending on this year, we are able to continue to fund other things and keep the budget in place," said Leister.

No layoffs are proposed in the budget, and by Gov. Andrew Cuomo should permit the district to at least get some capital projects done, Bossert said.

Though the tax levy increase stands at 3.10 percent, the impact on taxpayers will likely be higher due to decreased assessment valuations. According to numbers provided by the district, the projected tax rate – from $134.27 to $139.57 – could jump 3.95 percent.

Last year's budget came in under the mandated tax levy cap as well, and passed by over a two-to-one margin.

Some items in next year's proposed budget include:

• $60,000 for elementary math textbooks and secondary English books
• $80,000 for security guards
• $100,000 in special education cost increases