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Voters Approve West Islip Budget, Gellar and Zotto Re-Elected to BOE

Residents say yes to the 2012-13 school budget by a vote of 2,173 - 1,180.

West Islip voters passed the $110.8 million school district budget by a vote of  2,173 - 1,180 on Tuesday.

By passing the budget, homeowners within the West Islip School District will pay a tax levy of 2.27 percent in the coming year.

Also decided in the election, incumbents Steve Gellar and Michael Zotto were re-elected to the Board of Education, defeating challengers Glenn Montes and Kevin O'Connor, respectively.


The 2011-12 budget calls for a spending plan of $110,880,192, with a 3.49 percent budget to budget increase. The annual tax increase on a home with an average assessed value of $45,000 will be $14.16 per month or $169.88 per year.

However, the approved budget also calls for staff and program reductions, as well as the closure of Kirdahy and Westbrook elementary schools. A total of 38 staff positions will be lost, as well as the high school dance program. Reductions to the BOCES vocational program and athletics spending were also made.

It was a difficult fiscal year for many Long Island school districts, as school struggled to balance rising costs with student needs while staying within the newly implemented New York State tax cap.

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
West Islip Resident May 18, 2013 at 07:23 pm
You can thank all these POS politicians for the new gun legislation designed to make law abidingRead More citizens give up their second amendment rights out of sheer frustration and incontinence of owning a gun legally for increases in savage on citizen violence. This is only the beginning and in short time many New Yorker's will be forced to remain in their homes fearing one of these animals will make them their pray. I for one believe in the old adage, it's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
ARNOLD MERKITCH May 17, 2013 at 07:34 pm
WREATH LAYING FOR 9/11 BEAM WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 11AM ON 5/2713
West Islip Resident May 17, 2013 at 09:06 am
Has anyone been able to find out if we are losing money renting this building to this for profitRead More preschool? If I under stood correctly from previous post's, there may be some friendship with one or more BOE members which paved the way for their lease.
Craig Miller May 18, 2013 at 10:10 am
I think Proposition 2 is a great idea, in the current structure you have to "call out" anRead More individual basically saying "I think you are doing a particularly bad job". Politics get dirty enough as is and I think this will increase participation and ultimately give us a better Board of Education.
Nomo Bigelow May 15, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Why didn't the author run for the open seat this year? Bark of a wolf and courage of a lamb.