Montauk School Stays Within Tax Cap; School Board Has a Contested Race

The Montauk School Board adopted its proposed 2016-17 budget on April 12, putting $18,978,163 up for community approval on May 17. Also on the ballot that day will be a contested race for one school board seat, although an incumbent board member is running for re-election unopposed.

According to a summary  provided by the district, the Montauk budget proposal is about $15,000 lower than the current year's budget. The associated tax levy, $16,952,502, shows a decrease of just under 1 percent from this year, so only a simple majority of voters will be needed to pass it. School officials estimate the tax rate will go down by about $5.39 to $544.40 per $1,000 of a property's assessed value. A informational hearing is planned for May 10 at 6 p.m. at the school.

Even with an increase in salaries and benefits of about 197,000 for next year, the district is able to stay within the state-mandated cap on increases in taxes because of an expected $281,209 drop in tuition to other schools, including East Hampton High School, the Child Development Center of the Hamptons, and the Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services. Tuition is expected to go up in the following year.

Montauk will also spend an additional $20,105 on equipment, textbooks, supplies, and athletics, bringing tje total in those areas up to $453,830.

Jack Perna, the school superintendent, said during the April 5 school board meeting that the teachers were to be commended for keeping spending within reason. The district continues to negotiate with the teachers union, however, which has been working without a formal contract since last July.

For the school board, Patti Leber, the current school board vice president, will run unopposed for another five-year seat, but a race has emerged for a second open seat, which will become available on July 1 after Jason Biondo's resignation becomes effective. Two residents have turned in nominating petitions. Thomas Flight, a first-time candidate, and Cynthia Ibrahim, who ran against Mr. Biondo in 2014, are the candidates for the remaining three years of Mr. Biondo's five-year term.