Residents go to the polls across the North Fork tomorrow to weigh in on proposed school district operating budgets for the 2017-2018 fiscal year and to elect school district trustees.
There are no contested trustee elections in any of the North Fork’s five school districts.
Only one district — the smallest, New Suffolk — asks voters to approve a budget that exceeds the real property tax levy limit imposed by state law. To pierce the so-called tax cap, the New Suffolk proposed budget will require approval by 60 percent of the votes cast in the election.
Voters in Greenport will also decide a ballot referendum. The district is seeking voter approval to establish a $750,000 capital reserve fund that will allow the district to set aside up to $750,000 over the next 10 years to pay for capital improvements. Expenditures of the fund will require separate voter approvals.
Greenport Union Free School District
2016-2017: $17,930,820
2017-2018: $18,365,500
Spending increase: 434,680 – 2.42 percent
Tax levy increase: 3.8 percent
Ballot referendum: Establish a $750,000 capital reserve fund to allow the district to set aside up to that amount for capital improvements over the next 10 years
Trustee election:
One open seat, one candidate: Kirsten Droskoski
Voting: 2 to 8 p.m. in the school gym
Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District
2016-2017: $40,333,921
2017-2018: $40,765,316
Spending increase: $431,395 – 1.07 percent
Tax levy increase: 0.01677 percent
Trustee election:
Two open seats, two candidates: Charles Anderson, Brian Mealy
Voting: 3 to 9 p.m. in the high school gym
New Suffolk Common School District
2016-2017: $1,269,085
2017-2018: $1,111,701
Spending increase: ($157,384)
Tax levy increase: 6.5 percent
Trustee election:
One open seat, one candidate: Tony Dill
Voting: 3 to 9 p.m. at the school
Oysterponds Union Free School District
2016-2017: $ 5,680,052
2017-2018: $ 5,704,425
Spending increase:$24,373 – 0.43 percent
Tax levy increase: 0.48 percent
Trustee election:
Two open seats, two candidates:
Janice Caufield, Jeffrey Demarest
Voting: 2 to 8 p.m. at the school
Southold
2016-2017: $29,008,500
2017-2018: $29,440,000
Spending increase: $431,500 – 1.49 percent
Tax levy increase: 1.52 percent
Trustee election:
Two open seats, two candidates
Scott Latham, Brian Tobin
Voting: 3 to 9 p.m. in the high school gym
