May 17 is election day for Board of Education Trustees as well as school budget votes. The Islip Bulletin has put together a guide to help readers understand what’s at stake in their districts.

Islip

During the district’s final school budget workshop on Tuesday, April 12, superintendent Dennis O’ Hara presented the final 2022-23 budget proposal to the community. On an averaged assessed value of $45,000 the increase will be $195.67 for the year. ($16.31 monthly).

Additionally the district is seeking to create a capital reserve fund, which is similar to a savings account, for future capital construction needs. This reserve will provide funding for a “Local Share” of future capital projects that are approved by the voters. The district is asking the community for approval only to establish this reserve. The reserve would come at no additional cost to taxpayers. The district is also seeking community approval to create a repair reserve fund This reserve fund would be used for certain nonrecurring repairs to capital improvements or equipment.

East Ilsip

On Wednesday, April 13, assistant superintendent for business Stephen Harrison presented the third and final budget presentation to the Board of Education. The 2022/23 allowable tax levy is $73,673,246 for a change of $681,647 or 0.93 percent. On an averaged assessed value of $40,000 the increase will be $72 for the year. The district is also asking the community to vote to use money from the capital reserve. The reserve has $5,951,633 and requires voter approval to spend. The district is seeking to spend money on district-wide electrical upgrades to support air conditioners in classrooms, additional bathroom renovations throughout the district, creation of a bus loop of the high school, additional renovation of the music/theater area at the high school and paving repairs at various locations.

Bay Shore

According to the Bay Shore School District the dollar amount of the proposed 2022-23 budget is $181,243,677. The current 2021-22 budget is $171,016,490, for a percentage increase of six percent over the current year. The proposed 2022-23 tax levy would stay the same at $115,360,073. Therefore, there would be no percentage increase of school taxes paid on an average single-family house under the proposed budget over school taxes paid this year.

West Islip

According to a slideshow shown at the district’s April 12 budget workshop, the proposed tax levy for 2022-2023 is $90,382,573. This represents a change of $1,763,329 from the previous year and a percentage change of 1.99 percent. Based on an average assessed home of $45,000, the tax implication to homeowners will be an increase of $176.85.

There will be two other propositions on the ballot this year for West Islip besides the school budget. They are the use of capital reserve and the establishment of a capital reserve II. The Capital reserve fund was voter-approved and established in May 2019. The use of the capital reserve fund comes at no additional cost to the taxpayers. According to the district the capital reserve fund has a balance of $6,026,622 as of June 30, 2022 with a voter approved use of $1,680,000 during 2021-22.