Westhampton Beach School Budget Soars Through

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — The votes have been tallied and the Westhampton Beach Union Free School District's budget passed by a wide margin of 199 to 43.

The Westhampton Beach Union Free School District's proposed budget of $60,108,537 represents a budget-to-budget increase of 1.95 percent and a tax levy increase of 1.16 percent, below the state's tax levy limit, the district said.

"This was a challenging budget due to the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Superintendent of Schools Michael Radday. "However, we worked to develop a budget that preserves the district's tradition of educational excellence while safeguarding its long-term fiscal health."

As a result of "sound budget planning", the average budget increase over the past seven years has been just 1.35 percent, Radday added. "We have worked in partnership with the community to provide first-rate opportunities for our students over the years, while being mindful of the impact on our taxpayers," Radday said.

Incumbent Board of Education member George R. Kast, Jr. ran unopposed for one open seat and received 204 votes.