Pat-Med School Budget Vote, Board Election Tuesday

Pat-Med residents will head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots on a proposed 2015-16 school budget and for school board candidates.

The proposed $173.07 million budget represents a 0.94 percent spending increase over the current year and it includes a 2.86 percent hike in the school tax levy.

However, the overall budget proposal is considered over the tax cap when including a voter proposition on the ballot proposing to change the mileage limitation for transporting children to private and parochial high schools from 15 miles to 25 miles that would cost the district $423,440.

Thus, the budget and/or the proposition must each receive a 60 percent supermajority vote to pass. The district was in a similar position during last year’s vote: that budget for the current year passed with 61 percent of the vote. The voter proposition to increase the mileage limit to private schools was defeated by a margin of 83-17 percent.

On the Patchogue-Medford Board of Eduction, there are three open seats, but the results have already been determined. Incumbents Anthony O’Brien and Christine Rignola and challenger Bunnie Schiller are running unopposed. Incumbent William T. LaVelle is not running for re-election.

Polls are open from 7a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Eagle, Medford and Tremont elementary schools, as well as at South Ocean and Saxton middle schools.

Read more about what’s included in the proposed school budget here.

Do you support the proposed budget? Share your opinions in the comments section below.