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School Budget Passes, Two New Members Elected to Board of Ed

The $212.4 million budget and bus referendum passed, and Board of Education President Robert Rossi and board member Neil Carlin were defeated by first-time candidates.

Voters passed a $212.4 million budget Tuesday for the 2011-2012 school year.

With a final tally of 4,847 to 2,342, homeowners within the Smithtown Central School district can expect to see a 4.9 percent increase in their collective tax levy in the following year. 

The Board of Education also has two new members as President Robert Rossi was defeated by Grace Plourde 3,307 votes to 3,045, and board member Neil Carlin lost to Joanne McEnroy by a tally of 3,687 votes to 2,540.

Gladys Waldron, who ran unopposed, received 4,332 votes.

The bus referendum also passed by a final tally of 3,915 to 3,055.

Distances will be increased for children to get bus service to school – at the elementary level the distance will now be one-half mile limit, secondary schools will now have a one-and-a-half mile limit, and private and parochial schools will now have a 15 mile limit.

The budget, , includes cuts to 30 positions within the district; class size changes from kindergarten to fifth grade, resulting in the reduction of 14 teachers, the elimination of JV2 sports teams, and physical education reduced to every other day, resulting in cuts to four teachers.

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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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.
swataz May 20, 2013 at 09:42 am
Isn't that above the cap? Funny, when another news source mentioned 5 districts that are breakingRead More the cap they didn't mention Smithtown. Dn't worry, the district will bully and scare the parents into voting yes by threatening programs instead of doing what they need to do which is reduce administrative costs.
Ron W May 19, 2013 at 02:26 pm
We can all make a statement one way or another when we vote. However, that statement should be madeRead More on a state level not the local level. Boards of Ed are powerless to do any real cost cutting. The state needs to take this on. We need real reform in Albany to reduce the ever increasing pensions and life long benefits that educators enjoy. Combine this with letting Albany decide salary increases for all educators and we can guaranty tax reductions over the next few years. Its that simple, Boards cannot do these. Lets get Albany to move on these NOW!