New Bus Referendum Passes By More Than 3,500 Votes

The new bus referendum for the Smithtown Central School District was approved Monday 4,629 votes to 1,114.

More than 5,700 voters hit the polls and approved the referendum by a margin of 3,515 votes.

With Monday's approval, kindergarten through fifth grade students will all have bus transportation, students in grades six through 12 who live further than one mile from their school will receive bus transportation, and private elementary and secondary students will receive bus transportation to schools within 20 miles of their home.

The changes go into effect Oct. 11.

At Accompsett Elementary, 544 people voted to change the limits versus 101 votes in opposition; at Nesconset Elementary, 1508 voters voted "yes" versus 318 who voted "no"; at St. James Elementary, there were 1,398 "yes" votes to 354 "no"; and at Smithtown Elementary, 1,179 people voted "yes" versus 341 who voted "no."

The May 17 bus referendum was passed by a final tally of 3,915 to 3,055. The approval changed the distances for students to receive bus transprtation at the elementary level the distance to one-half mile, one-and-a-half miles for secondary schools, and private and parochial schools to 15 miles.