Board of Education Adopts Superintendent's Budget

The Smithtown Central School District Board of Education adopted the superintendent’s proposed $212.4 million budget Tuesday night, which would raise the tax levy to 4.92 percent if approved in the May 17 election.

Voting in favor of the superintendent’s proposed budget were Board of Education members Scott Martella, Neil Carlin, Louis Liguori, Gladys M. Waldron and Board of Education President Robert Rossi. Voting against the budget was Board of Education Vice President Joseph Saggese and board member Theresa Knox.

The now adopted budget, coming in at $212,361,284, is $3 million less than the contingent budget, totaling $215,307,048, which would be accepted if the adopted budget is defeated twice by voters.

The tax levy in the adopted budget is 4.92 percent, the highest it has been since the 2007-08 school year when the tax levy was 5.09 percent. Last year's tax levy was 1.66 percent, in 2008-09 the levy was -.2 percent and in 2009-10 the levy was -1.06 percent.

Reductions in the adopted budget came from  a variety if sources including increasing elementary class sizes, reducing physical education for grades six and seven, a 10 percent reduction in athletics, the termination of one central office administrator and more.

Nesconset native Stacy Berman said she is pleased with the board’s decision to adopt the budget, but it is only the beginning to solving the district’s financial issues.

“I’m happy they adopted the budget. I agree with Neil [Carlin] that we have to bridge the gap somewhere and although it’s not everything I’m sure they can find other places [to cut]. We’ve got to somewhat prepare for what’s coming next year. I don’t think that we should be cutting things until we know we need to,” she said.

Mark Slawinski of Nesconset said he agrees with the board adopting the budget and empathizes with the difficulties the board has encountered throughout the budget creation process.

“It’s a difficult decision, I can see why they’re concerned after years of flat tax levy going through to a 4.9 [percent],” he said. “It’s difficult but times are tough everywhere.”