Westchester school elections: Scarsdale, Briarcliff, Elmsford, Mount Vernon defeated

Voters dealt budget blows to Scarsdale and Briarcliff Manor schools as the districts attempted to override the state tax cap Tuesday night.

Not challenging the cap, but also failing, were budgets in Elmsford and Mount Vernon school districts.

A spending plan in the affluent Scarsdale village has not failed since 1970.

"I'm a little dumbfounded," said Scarsdale High School PTA president Jacquie Walter.

Ardsley and Irvington, the other two county schools trying to challenge the 2-year-old cap, were successful. Ardsley's $61 million budget was passed 937-592. Irvington's budget of $54 million passed 1,027-659.

Statewide, only 28 districts attempted an override, a process that requires approval by 60 percent of the voters.

Elmsford put forth a $31 million budget with a 3.49 percent tax levy increase, under the cap. The budget was defeated by 25 votes, 236-210.

Mount Vernon's $226 million budget proposed 29 staff reductions and a 2 percent tax levy increase.

During the day, voter turnout was heavy at some polling places, especially in those districts where a tax cap breach was proposed. In Scarsdale, the tax cap override inspired a quadrupling of voter turnout with 3,222 voters turning out compared to just 725 in 2012. The turnout in Briarcliff doubled from the year before.

The state's tax cap law limits property tax increases to about 2 percent -- with allowances for costs beyond a district's control -- unless 60 percent of the voters approve a bigger tax increase. Statewide, the average proposed tax hike for schools this year is 3.1 percent.

In Scarsdale, the override attempt provoked the ire of the "Scarsdale Tax Rebellion" -- a group that handed out anti-override fliers Monday morning as commuters entered the train station.

Scarsdale resident Susan Grosz, 70, was not a member of that group, but said she voted against the budget even though she spent her entire career as a teacher and principal. She calls herself a firm supporter of education. Yet she thinks the Scarsdale school board crossed the line in its proposal to override the tax cap.

"You can't just keep spending without finding out what the taxpayers want," Grosz said.

Grosz was frustrated that the Scarsdale school board couldn't find a way to cut $700,000 from a $145 million plan -- enough to keep its budget under the cap. She also opposes the inclusion of $1 million toward preliminary construction work on a wellness center.

Election workers said turnout was heavy at the polls on Tuesday evening at Scarsdale Middle School. Some parents said they made a point to come out and vote in favor of the budget, because the district needs 60 percent approval to breach the tax cap.

"It seems like it's an important year to vote for the school budget," said Anjani Shah, 47, a mother of seventh- and tenth-grade students in Scarsdale.

Others attested that they were voting no, in a community that had traditionally had strong support for the school budget. Several "no" voters declined to give their names.

"They need to be more realistic about spending other people's money," one man said.

In Ardsley, a dedicated group of parents are working to get out the 'Yes' vote for the school district's proposed override of the tax cap, a plan raising the tax levy by 4.8 percent. Schools Superintendent Lauren Allan said the proposal puts the district back on sound footing to grow in the future without needing another override.

Irvington school leaders convinced residents like Tanya Hunt that the district needed the additional money and would set a new baseline going forward to avoid future tax hikes.

"I think it is important to override the tax cap this year because of what we would lose if we didn't override it," Hunt said.

Voters in Briarcliff said they voted the budget down because of the high tax increases. Maureen Varcasio, who has two grown children, said she doesn't want to see school cuts, but she can't afford the tax increase.

"My taxes are going to go up over 9 percent. That is why I voted no," Varcasio said.

School districts where the budget failed have the opportunity to present another proposal to voters. If that subsequently fails, the district would have to craft a budget with a zero percent tax levy increase.

Walter said the Scarsdale school board will have a tough challenge trying to decipher what the 'no' vote means.

"I don't know what will make people happy a second time," Walter said.

With Kaitlin Boyer