Hampton Bays School Budget Passes By A Wide Margin

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — The votes have been tallied and residents passed the proposed Hampton Bays Public Schools budget for 2021 to 2022 by a wide margin of 711 to 114.

Three Board of Education candidates, incumbents Anne Culhane and Liz Scully, as well as Rich Iannelli, ran for two open seats, and the winners were Scully, with 567 votes, and Culhane, with 545. Ianelli received 410 votes.

The Hampton Bays Public Schools' proposed $57,318,187 budget carries a 3.8 percent budget-to-budget increase and a 0.0 percent tax levy increase, Superintendent of School Lars Clemensen said.

"The proposed 2021-2022 budget for the Hampton Bays School District continues a tradition of fiscal stability while maintaining all of our exceptional educational and co-curricular services. This is the ninth year that the district is proposing a budget that remains underNew York State's tax levy cap," he said. "We have achieved this by following a long-term vision for fiscal responsibility while ensuring that all programs remain relevant, maintain a strong academic foundation and inspire lifelong learning."

The budget, he added, supports all of the district's goals and "takes into account strains placed on the district due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A flat tax levy with a 0.0 percent increase is the result of a significant increase in state aid. The Board of Education and district leadership have long advocated for increased state aid from Albany, and New York State's prioritization of public education in this state budget allows us to support our academic program,care for our facilities and mitigate the tax burden on our neighbors."

Voters also weighed in on two propositions, to authorized to replace and/or reconstruct the roof at the Hampton Bays Elementary School, at the estimated cost of $3,500,000 and to expend from the district's "districtwide roof and/or HVAC replacement reserve fund" to do so. The proposition passed, 716 to 108.

They also voted on, and passed by a vote of 724 to 98, a proposition to fund repairs or upgrades to facilities and grounds, at a cost of $300,000.