‘A Conservative Budget’

Bridgehampton School officials, heeding a suggestion made at a March 11 public forum, recommended, at a March 25 meeting of the school board, tapping into reserves to avoid having to make $176,000 in budget cuts. The recommendation, which was met with agreement from members of the board, enables the district to keep its proposed budget increase within tax levy limitations.

Board members also took a look that night at the administration’s updated 2015-16 budget proposal. According to Bob Hauser, assistant school superintendent, the proposed budget now stands at approximately $12.82 million, down from about $12.9 million, which was the amount originally proposed on March 11. He called the new figure “a good, conservative budget.”

In an email on Tuesday, Bridgehampton’s superintendent, Lois Favre, explained that “the amounts in each of the budget presentations differ slightly, as we are not yet done with this school year, and we are guessing/projecting revenues and state aid amounts . . . so until we adopt, we continue to make adjustments.”

The $12.82 million figure would mean a tax levy increase of 3.51 percent, the maximum allowed for Bridgehampton. Tax levy increases must stay within a state-imposed cap, which varies from district to district. The tax rate would rise from $1.67 to $1.73 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. For example, a house valued at $400,000 would see taxes increase by about $23, while a house valued at $750,000 would see taxes increase by about $44.

Mr. Hauser said New York State will soon announce how much financial support Bridgehampton will receive. Official adoption of the budget is expected at the next school board meeting, set for April 22.