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Voters Approve Smithtown's School Budget

Votes in favor trump rejecting votes by nearly 2,000.

Voters passed a $215 million budget Tuesday for the 2012-2013 school year. With a final tally of 3,587 to 1,618, homeowners within the Smithtown Central School district can expect to see a 2.23 percent increase in their collective tax levy in the following year. 

The district announced in April that the now approved budget would result in the . The cuts, according to the district, would result in savings of more than $3 million.

In February prior to the budget process,, a move fueled by lower enrollment and a projected cost savings to the district of an estimated $960,000.

Both current board member , who was appointed by the board to take over the seat vacated by former Vice President Scott Martella who resigned in November of last year, and St. James resident Matthew Morton, ran unopposed. Current board member Joseph Saggese did not run for re-election.

Voting took place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Nesconset Elementary, Accompsett Elementary, Smithtown Elementary and St. James Elementary.

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KFM May 21, 2013 at 04:17 pm
How, in a period of rapidly declining enrollment, can costs be increasing so much from year to year,Read More you ask? The answer is in front of you in black and white. I urge you to READ your district’s budget: we are funding retirements when many of us cannot afford to fund our own during difficult economic times. These wheels were set in motion by contracts negotiated in times of unrealistic growth that may likely not occur again. It is time to open up these plans and relieve this unfair burden from our shoulders. Whatever other measures are pursued in order to control costs, including consolidation within and eventually with other districts, are never going to be enough if you cannot get this problem corrected. Write your congressman, for the love of God. If you need any more incentive to do so, please go to http://rocdocs.democratandchronicle.com/database/teacher-pensions-new-york and look at what Smithtown’s retirees are collecting MONTHLY. It will sicken you.
KFM May 21, 2013 at 04:12 pm
They are allowed to exclude the pension and employee benefit increases when expressing the increase.Read More
Billie B May 20, 2013 at 10:17 am
Tomorrow is the vote..vote NO NOW or our taxes are going to continue to sky rocket. Unless we doRead More something this town will continue to spiral down. More taxes aren't going to help. We need to cut expenses and get ourselves on a fiscally responsible plan.