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Most LI school districts pass budgets
At least 118 Long Island school budgets won voter approval in early returns last night, while Elwood and Shelter Island lost their attempts to pierce state-imposed tax caps. Most budget approvals were by lopsided margins. “Overall, very very positive results,” said Robert Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. He described the results as evidence of public support for what he called high-quality education on Long Island. John Hildebrand reports in NEWSDAY that Shelter Island, Hicksville and Elwood had sought to pierce their tax caps, which required approval of a 60% voter majority. Shelter Island’s majority was 54.8%; Elwood’s was 54.2%. Meanwhile, Hicksville did succeed in its cap-override effort, with a 65.3% margin. Hicksville had proposed tax levy increases of 2.54% in 2025-26, 3.31% in 2026-27 and 2.97% in 2027-28.
District spending proposals on Long Island for the 2025-26 school year totaled a combined $16.36 billion — up 3.68% from the current year — as many districts pushed for expanded career training and other instruction, while also providing for renovation of classrooms, gyms and other aging facilities.
A total of 335 school board candidates were also on the ballot in Long Island’s 124 districts, as were more than 100 special propositions.
If all budgets had been approved, property taxes across the Nassau-Suffolk region would have risen to $10 billion, or an average increase of 2.3%, with state financial aid picking up a larger share of educational costs.
Montauk voters rejected a move to take out a bond intended for a school renovation project that would have ultimately cost $38 million through taxes over the next 20 to 25 years. As reported on 27east.com, the vote wound up tallying 318 to 361 for the project, which would have ended with an improved gymnasium after the district received an “unsatisfactory” grade from New York State on its current facilities. Outside the new gymnasium, the bond would have funded a new science classroom, designated areas for middle and elementary school students and an outdoor classroom. By an even narrower margin — 334 to 342 — voters rejected a $2.9 million capital project that would have authorized an upgrade to the school’s HVAC system. The Montauk School District’s $24,564,115 budget passed by a tally of 403 to 280. A renewed five-year tuition agreement with East Hampton School District also passed, 470 to 210.
***
The Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center proudly announces The Center Honors, a heartfelt ceremony recognizing the outstanding service and leadership of Black and Brown fire chiefs—past and present—from East Hampton to Southampton.
The event is scheduled for this coming Saturday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at The Center, located at 551 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, NY. This special gathering will bring together honorees, their families, elected officials, fellow firefighters, and community members to celebrate the legacy and impact of these trailblazing public servants.
This year, The Center is proud to honor Alex Verdugo, Dudley Hayes, and Jamalia Hayes of the East Hampton Fire Department; Anthony Stevens, Emmanuel Escobar, and Polis Walker of the Southampton Fire Department; and Nicholas Hemby and Thomas Jenkins of the Bridgehampton Fire Department.
Bonnie Cannon of Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center states, “The Center is privileged to be able to gather, honor and properly thank our local fire chiefs for their vital service to our community. We live in gratitude every day that they keep us just a bit safer. Please support your local volunteers fire department and offer your services yourself if able.”
The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. RSVP by emailing [email protected].
***
It’s back to the drawing board for Shelter Island School District officials after falling 40 votes short of the 60% needed to pass the $13.85 million budget yesterday, which would have gone above the state-imposed tax cap. The tally was 424 votes in favor of the spending plan for the 2025-26 school year, to 329 against.
“While this outcome was not what the district had hoped for, we respect and appreciate the voice of our community,” said Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D. “We will carefully evaluate the results and begin developing a thoughtful plan for the re-vote. Our goal is to present a revised budget that reflects community priorities while continuing to support the educational needs of or students,” he said.
Shelter Island’s majority was 54.8%.
Shelter Island School Board President Kathleen Lynch said she’s “terribly disappointed, but the incredible team that crafted this budget I have faith will craft another budget” she believes will gain approval in a re-vote.
Julie Lane in Shelter Island Reporter reports that by a wide margin, a $275,000 proposition to support the Shelter Island History Museum failed to pass. That vote was 536 against to 239 in favor.
When the Shelter Island Historical Society transitioned to become a museum, it came under the New York State Department of Education, moving its proposition to yesterday’s ballot. Had the proposition passed, it would have added $43.30 for the year to tax bills for those with property valued at $1 million.
***
Members of the Southampton Town Board, Westhampton VFW Post 5350, local military organizations and friends and family celebrated local veterans with the “Hometown Heroes” banner program at Good Ground Park in Hamptons Bays on Monday.
As reported by 27east.com, the program, spearheaded by Southampton Town Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, aims to recognize and honor local military men and women by displaying personalized banners with their picture and military service information. The program will run from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.
***
House Republican leaders labored this morning to win over holdouts for their sweeping domestic policy bill to deliver President Donald Trump’s agenda, slogging through a marathon overnight committee session to prepare the measure for a floor vote. As reported in THE NY TIMES, the powerful Rules Committee began meeting around 1 a.m. and continued debating the measure as morning broke, while Republicans worked behind the scenes to hammer out enough concessions to cobble together the votes in their fractious ranks to push it through the House. But as the session dragged into its eighth hour, they had yet to release any new language and the panel had yet to vote to send the legislation to the floor.
Meanwhile, yesterday, President Trump distanced himself from his full-throated campaign pledge of "restoring the SALT deduction," as he pressed New York Republicans to vote for a sweeping budget bill despite their objections that the proposed deduction cap offers little relief.
Laura Figueroa Hernandez reports in NEWSDAY that Trump, in a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill, urged the group to quickly pass his “big, beautiful bill,” stacked with his legislative priorities, even if it means outstanding issues including a higher SALT deduction cap pitched by Long Island’s House Republicans are dealt with later.
Hours after the meeting, Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), and a coalition of blue-state Republicans appeared to reach a tentative deal with House Speaker Mike Johnson that would raise the SALT deduction cap to $40,000 for households earning $500,000 or less, sources familiar with the deal told Newsday. The deal to raise the current $10,000 cap came after the New York lawmakers announced they would continue to withhold their support from the mega bill unless there was a bigger cap beyond the $30,000 limit approved by the House Ways and Means Committee last week.
Congressman LaLota...who represents the East End...said that discussions with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had yielded significant progress on SALT...the state and local tax deduction...which Republicans from high-tax states have been pressing to raise considerably.
“They presented numbers that were the reality of what we could possibly sell back home,” Mr. LaLota said of talks on Tuesday afternoon. “Numbers prior to that were just simply unsellable.”
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By WLIW-FMAt least 118 Long Island school budgets won voter approval in early returns last night, while Elwood and Shelter Island lost their attempts to pierce state-imposed tax caps. Most budget approvals were by lopsided margins. “Overall, very very positive results,” said Robert Vecchio, executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association. He described the results as evidence of public support for what he called high-quality education on Long Island. John Hildebrand reports in NEWSDAY that Shelter Island, Hicksville and Elwood had sought to pierce their tax caps, which required approval of a 60% voter majority. Shelter Island’s majority was 54.8%; Elwood’s was 54.2%. Meanwhile, Hicksville did succeed in its cap-override effort, with a 65.3% margin. Hicksville had proposed tax levy increases of 2.54% in 2025-26, 3.31% in 2026-27 and 2.97% in 2027-28.
District spending proposals on Long Island for the 2025-26 school year totaled a combined $16.36 billion — up 3.68% from the current year — as many districts pushed for expanded career training and other instruction, while also providing for renovation of classrooms, gyms and other aging facilities.
A total of 335 school board candidates were also on the ballot in Long Island’s 124 districts, as were more than 100 special propositions.
If all budgets had been approved, property taxes across the Nassau-Suffolk region would have risen to $10 billion, or an average increase of 2.3%, with state financial aid picking up a larger share of educational costs.
Montauk voters rejected a move to take out a bond intended for a school renovation project that would have ultimately cost $38 million through taxes over the next 20 to 25 years. As reported on 27east.com, the vote wound up tallying 318 to 361 for the project, which would have ended with an improved gymnasium after the district received an “unsatisfactory” grade from New York State on its current facilities. Outside the new gymnasium, the bond would have funded a new science classroom, designated areas for middle and elementary school students and an outdoor classroom. By an even narrower margin — 334 to 342 — voters rejected a $2.9 million capital project that would have authorized an upgrade to the school’s HVAC system. The Montauk School District’s $24,564,115 budget passed by a tally of 403 to 280. A renewed five-year tuition agreement with East Hampton School District also passed, 470 to 210.
***
The Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center proudly announces The Center Honors, a heartfelt ceremony recognizing the outstanding service and leadership of Black and Brown fire chiefs—past and present—from East Hampton to Southampton.
The event is scheduled for this coming Saturday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at The Center, located at 551 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, NY. This special gathering will bring together honorees, their families, elected officials, fellow firefighters, and community members to celebrate the legacy and impact of these trailblazing public servants.
This year, The Center is proud to honor Alex Verdugo, Dudley Hayes, and Jamalia Hayes of the East Hampton Fire Department; Anthony Stevens, Emmanuel Escobar, and Polis Walker of the Southampton Fire Department; and Nicholas Hemby and Thomas Jenkins of the Bridgehampton Fire Department.
Bonnie Cannon of Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center states, “The Center is privileged to be able to gather, honor and properly thank our local fire chiefs for their vital service to our community. We live in gratitude every day that they keep us just a bit safer. Please support your local volunteers fire department and offer your services yourself if able.”
The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. RSVP by emailing [email protected].
***
It’s back to the drawing board for Shelter Island School District officials after falling 40 votes short of the 60% needed to pass the $13.85 million budget yesterday, which would have gone above the state-imposed tax cap. The tally was 424 votes in favor of the spending plan for the 2025-26 school year, to 329 against.
“While this outcome was not what the district had hoped for, we respect and appreciate the voice of our community,” said Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D. “We will carefully evaluate the results and begin developing a thoughtful plan for the re-vote. Our goal is to present a revised budget that reflects community priorities while continuing to support the educational needs of or students,” he said.
Shelter Island’s majority was 54.8%.
Shelter Island School Board President Kathleen Lynch said she’s “terribly disappointed, but the incredible team that crafted this budget I have faith will craft another budget” she believes will gain approval in a re-vote.
Julie Lane in Shelter Island Reporter reports that by a wide margin, a $275,000 proposition to support the Shelter Island History Museum failed to pass. That vote was 536 against to 239 in favor.
When the Shelter Island Historical Society transitioned to become a museum, it came under the New York State Department of Education, moving its proposition to yesterday’s ballot. Had the proposition passed, it would have added $43.30 for the year to tax bills for those with property valued at $1 million.
***
Members of the Southampton Town Board, Westhampton VFW Post 5350, local military organizations and friends and family celebrated local veterans with the “Hometown Heroes” banner program at Good Ground Park in Hamptons Bays on Monday.
As reported by 27east.com, the program, spearheaded by Southampton Town Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, aims to recognize and honor local military men and women by displaying personalized banners with their picture and military service information. The program will run from Memorial Day through Veterans Day.
***
House Republican leaders labored this morning to win over holdouts for their sweeping domestic policy bill to deliver President Donald Trump’s agenda, slogging through a marathon overnight committee session to prepare the measure for a floor vote. As reported in THE NY TIMES, the powerful Rules Committee began meeting around 1 a.m. and continued debating the measure as morning broke, while Republicans worked behind the scenes to hammer out enough concessions to cobble together the votes in their fractious ranks to push it through the House. But as the session dragged into its eighth hour, they had yet to release any new language and the panel had yet to vote to send the legislation to the floor.
Meanwhile, yesterday, President Trump distanced himself from his full-throated campaign pledge of "restoring the SALT deduction," as he pressed New York Republicans to vote for a sweeping budget bill despite their objections that the proposed deduction cap offers little relief.
Laura Figueroa Hernandez reports in NEWSDAY that Trump, in a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill, urged the group to quickly pass his “big, beautiful bill,” stacked with his legislative priorities, even if it means outstanding issues including a higher SALT deduction cap pitched by Long Island’s House Republicans are dealt with later.
Hours after the meeting, Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), Nick LaLota (R-Amityville), and a coalition of blue-state Republicans appeared to reach a tentative deal with House Speaker Mike Johnson that would raise the SALT deduction cap to $40,000 for households earning $500,000 or less, sources familiar with the deal told Newsday. The deal to raise the current $10,000 cap came after the New York lawmakers announced they would continue to withhold their support from the mega bill unless there was a bigger cap beyond the $30,000 limit approved by the House Ways and Means Committee last week.
Congressman LaLota...who represents the East End...said that discussions with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had yielded significant progress on SALT...the state and local tax deduction...which Republicans from high-tax states have been pressing to raise considerably.
“They presented numbers that were the reality of what we could possibly sell back home,” Mr. LaLota said of talks on Tuesday afternoon. “Numbers prior to that were just simply unsellable.”