Riverhead School District's Budget Fails

RIVERHEAD, NY — After all the absentee ballots for the Riverhead Central School District's 2020-2021 vote were tallied, the budget failed.

There were a total of 3,173 "no" votes, with 2,847 voting "yes."

"The Riverhead Central School District thanks all those who cast their ballot in this year’s school budget," the district said in a statement. "We are discouraged and disheartened over this defeat and are in the process of determining our options and next steps, which will be communicated once the district and Board of Education have reached an outcome."

Residents were also asked to consider Proposition No. 2, which included no additional cost to taxpayers, the district said.

That proposition authorizes the district to expend a sum not to exceed $469,470 from the Cafeteria Capital Reserve Fund to convert the dry goods storage room at the Pulaski Street Elementary School kitchen to a walk-in freezer; replace the serving lines at the Riverhead High School cafeteria, the Riverhead Middle School cafeteria, and the Pulaski Street Elementary School; and make improvements to the serving area entrances at the Pulaski Street Elementary School.

That proposition passed by a vote of 3,969 to 2,050.

In the race for three open Board of Education seats, incumbents Christopher Dorr and Theresa Zuhoski retained their positions with 1,954 and 2,479 votes, respectively. Also elected was Virginia Healey, with 1,877 votes.

Ann Cotton-Degrasse received 1,715 votes, Angela Devito garnered 1,589, Greg Fisher got 1,150, Ryan Gregor had 1,131, Amelia Lantz received 890, Stephanie Ranghelli had 1,391, and Yolanda Thompson received 1,297.

The district's proposed $147,124,895 budget reflected a proposed tax levy increase of 2.21 percent, within the New York State tax levy cap. The proposed budget to budget increase was 2.87 percent.

The proposed budget, district officials said, "continues to maintain and enrich the district's academic programs and extracurricular activities; nourishes the minds of the district's students through a whole child approach to education; supports technological growth for classroom innovation; and preserves programs and plans for pandemic-related state aid cuts."