BAYPORT-BLUE POINT

Over the last three years, the Bayport-Blue Point school budget has come under the tax levy cap, but this year, the budget will come right up to the cap, which is set at 3.91 percent.

The average extra that was not taxed was 1.96 percent over the last three years.

“When you do that, you have to be careful because you can never recover that money, and budgets are compounded year after year, so it has an impact,” said superintendent Tim Hearney.

Hearney discussed times and components of the budget where actual expenses were not met having exceeded the estimate. Two examples were health insurance costs, which were estimated to rise 8 to 10 percent and in reality rose 15 percent, and interest rates, where an estimate of $40,000 was $400,000 after market instability.

To cover costs, the district has tapped into their savings.

In addition, it costs approximately 33 percent more to educate a student now compared to 11 years ago.

The budget for 2024-2025 is $85,882,466, a 2.91 percent increase ($2,429,100) and includes:

• Expanded Pre-K
• Increased elementary guidance counselor position to full-time
• High School Robotics Club
• Driver Education Vehicle
• Maintenance of class sizes (approximately 22 to 23 students)
• Additional cybersecurity
• Replenishment of 1:1 devices (i.e. Chromebooks)
• Additional special education class at elementary level.

CONNETQUOT

The Connetquot School District adopted the fourth draft of their 2024-2025 budget to be voted on by the community in May.

With the tax cap at 3.29 percent (below the eligible tax cap of 3.35 percent), the proposed budget would result in $76,000 in savings to the community.

Robert Hauser, a certified public accountant and assistant superintendent for business and operations, presented the budget to the school board.

In total, there were 12.5 full-time positions that would provide savings through attrition.

The district had originally planned on lowered state foundation aid that would have required up to nine positions to be excessed (one administrator and eight teachers).

Hospital, medical, and dental insurance for the district rose 3.56 percent ($1,213,391) along with state retirement, which experienced a 26.17 percent increase ($833,657).

SAYVILLE

The Sayville Board of Education voted to adopt the amended proposed budget on April 23 that lowered the proposed increase to 3.7 percent.

While contingencies were made to allow for the nearly $3.5 million deficit in foundation aid from New York State, the legislature restored the funds. With the budget meetings commencing in late fall of 2023, assistant superintendent for business, certified public accountant, Rhonda Meserole, said, the “challenging” process had been “collaborative and thoughtful. “The revised proposed budget is a budget-to-budget increase of $3,979,740 or 3.9 percent.

This, however, will result in a decrease in the projected tax levy increase of 3.7 percent as opposed to the original 3.996 percent proposed earlier in the year.

With the maximum allowable levy cap at 3.996 percent and the proposed budget coming in under that, only a simple majority of the votes will be needed for approval.