Schools

Voters Pass School Budget, Maginniss Edges O'Connor for BOE Race

Residents say yes to the 2011-12 school budget by a vote of 2,175-1,617.

Despite facing a 7.7 percent property tax increase, West Islip residents came out in support of the proposed school budget, by a vote of 2,175 to 1,617.

In addition to giving a nod to the school budget for the coming school year, West Islip residents also elected incumbent Bob Ulrich and to three-year terms on the board of education. 

In what was a close race, Maginniss was able to edge out Kevin O'Connor for Sharon Bieselin's seat by a vote of 1,620 to 1,301.  Ulrich ran unopposed and received 1,968 votes. 

Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 2011-12 budget calls for a spending plan of $107,143,770, with a 2.92 percent budget to budget increase.  The annual tax increase on a home with an average assessed value of $45,000 will be $45.12 per month or $541.44 per year.

However, the approved budget also calls for staff and program reductions throughout the district.  A total of 25 staff positions will be lost, as well as summer school and JV2/9 athletic programs.  But Superintendent Rick Simon said that districts throughout Suffolk County are eliminating such athletic programs and even if West Islip kept them, they'd have no one to play. 

Find out what's happening in West Islipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In what was a difficult fiscal year for many Long Island school districts, West Islip was able to work past the hefty state aid cuts and agree on a budget that will cost residents $3 million more than the current budget of $104.1 million. 

Stay tuned as Patch will update this article as more information is obtained. 


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