WATCH: Syosset Central School District To Count Budget Ballots

SYOSSET, NY — The votes are in on the proposed 2020-21 budget for the Syosset Central School District, as well as for school board. A livestream of the vote tally was expected to begin at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday and will be available on Patch.

Here are the details of the 2020-21 proposed budget, according to the district's website.

• 2020-21 proposed budget: $241.6 million
• 2019-20 budget: $237 million
• Change (in dollars): + $4.7 million
• Change (percent): + 1.97 percent
• Estimated tax levy 2020-21: $204.2 million
• Tax levy 2019-20: $200.8 million
• Tax levy increase (percent): + 1.69 percent

The budget is an expenditure plan that supports instructional programs and services. The tax levy is the money raised through property taxes after all other revenue sources are deducted.

Budget planning documents show the district had to realign its goals to fit the current fiscal environment.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has warned that the economic effect of the coronavirus shutdown could mean much less money available for state education aid. The state will assess and adjust its budget several times in the course of this year. The governor's has estimated that state aid would be 20 percent lower than promised.

"For Syosset this amounts to a cut of $3.6 if based on total aid or $1.7 if based on Foundation Aid," according to the district's budget documents.

The Syosset district acknowledged it tried to retain programs and services, as well as continue repairs and maintenance for facilities and equipment even as it faces "uncertain revenue" projections. It laid out several options, should revenues fall, including reducing the budget, finding other revenue sources, a combination of the two, and accepting a higher budget increase and tax levy. The district opted for the combination of the first two options.

As such, the proposed budget calls for about $4.4 million in reductions, including pushing off $14 million in capital projects and eliminating $2 million in staff. Twenty-one combined teaching, support and administrative positions would be eliminated through attrition.

School Board

In the school board election, Carol Cheng and Anna Levitan seek re-election for two of the three at-large seats, and incumbent Susan Parker is not running again. Susan Falkove and Brian Grieco are also challenging for the seats.