Long Island school budget, board elections: Voters show overwhelming support

Almost all school districts across Long Island — 123 of 124 — won voter support of budgets Tuesday, often by lopsided majorities, with one budget defeated in a season marked by robust spending proposals and low tax increases. 

West Hempstead's proposed $71.39 million plan went down, with 734 "yes" votes to 1,103 "no's." The proposal would have raised spending 3.61%, and taxes, 2.14%.

Spending proposals totaling a combined $14.3 billion Islandwide appeared on Tuesday ballots, along with names of 441 board candidates and 96 special propositions.

Budgets are up an average 4.17% for the 2022-23 school year, the sharpest increase in more than a decade. But proposed tax increases average only 1.54%, because record allotments of state and federal funding are picking up much of the added tabs for districts.

One striking feature of this year's budget campaign was that five of the highest-need districts — Brentwood, Copiague, Hempstead, Roosevelt and Wyandanch — were able to propose dramatic spending hikes of 10% or more while holding tax increases to 1% or less. Those systems also called for major upgrades in programs and services.

Copiague's $162.43 million budget passed 639 to 238. 

School taxation is a major economic factor on the Island, typically accounting for more than 60% of property owners' tax bills.

Education leaders said they felt cautiously optimistic after reviewing early returns. 

"Obviously, it's trending positively as far as budgets are concerned," said Lorraine Deller, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. "Still awaiting some last results, we are very pleased by the show of support for Long Island's public schools."

School supporters cited the fact that all but two Long Island districts are keeping taxation within the limits set by the state's strict "cap" limitations. The two that aren't are tiny New Suffolk and Wainscott on the East End. Approving cap overrides require voter majorities of at least 60% under the state's tax-cap law. 

Wainscott's $4.13 million budget sailed through 43 to 3 — the third such success in five years. New Suffolk's $1.15 million budget passed 37 to 3. 

"I continue to thank the community for their unwavering support of our unique school," said David Eagan, longtime board president in Wainscott. 

Normally, moderate taxation would translate into lopsided support from voters. This year had a different look, however, because political and social issues such as mask mandates and gender identity surfaced in some school board races.

"This vote could be the strangest of all," said Michael Dawidziak, a pollster and political consultant based in Bayport, before the vote. "National politics has sort of filtered down to the school level."

Students vote for first time

Shortly before noon, a group of students from Malverne High School, some already in summer shorts, crossed the street to a polling site to participate in their first adult election.

“I thought we should have a say in it — it’s part of our first step to be participating members of the community,” said one of the group, Elizabeth Cardenas, 18, a senior. 

A classmate, Jared Lugo, also 18, agreed. 

“Voting on the school budget is a good way to have future students have better educational opportunities,” Lugo said. 

He added that the electronic ballot tabulating system was simpler than he thought it would be. 

Malverne's $64.4 million budget, which raised spending 3.96% and taxes 1.99%, passed 394 to 145. The tax hike was within the district's 2.23% state-imposed cap limitation.

Malverne, like most Long Island districts, is calling for a number of program expansions in 2022-23. These include new Spanish language classes in grades 3-5, after-school and summer-school instruction, and extensive building improvements. 

"They're keeping it within the [cap] framework — that's very important for taxpayers here," said another voter, Charles Nanton, 91, a retired New York City police officer who chairs a local youth sports group. 

Varying factors motivate voters

Some of those interviewed at Hiawatha Elementary School in Lake Ronkonkoma on Tuesday morning said traditional questions over funding for programs were the motivating factor in how they cast their ballots.

“I think it should be more about the students and the education than somebody's agenda,” said Tricia Huffman, a member of the Hiawatha PTA who has three children in the district.

Christine Dunne of Lake Ronkonkoma said she doesn’t pay attention to which candidates have political backing. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum and another with ADHD, she is more interested in how special education is funded. 

“I always vote yes [to the budget] because you’re hurting your kids if you say no,” she said.

Others came out to vote for candidates who aligned with their political interests.

Maria Graziano said she was motivated to vote in her first school district election by issues surrounding how gender and race are taught in school. She said she became more involved because she was against mask and vaccine mandates for schoolchildren.

 “I’m hoping by getting involved we can have some control over what is going on with our children and what they’re learning,” Graziano said.

Proposals to expand school day

Aside from politics, one growing question in academic circles is how extra money from Washington, D.C., and Albany can best be spent in boosting student enthusiasm and achievement. Four of Suffolk's larger districts — Brentwood, Patchogue-Medford, Riverhead and Sachem — have responded by proposing that school schedules be expanded from eight daily class periods to nine.

Nine-period school schedules can help improve education in a variety of ways, supporters said. In some cases, such schedules increase overall instructional time.

In other instances, instructional time remains about the same, but schools gain more flexibility in what they can offer students. For example, ninth periods can provide students with a wider selection of popular elective courses or college-level Advanced Placement classes. Extra periods also can provide more remedial time for students struggling with English and math lessons.

Proposed expansions in all four districts would start in September, assuming voters approve the budgets. Sachem's plan won, 3,148 to 1,590. Riverhead's budget passed, 1,658 to 993. 

With Vera Chinese