School Vote

When voters from Sagaponack to Montauk head to the polls here on Tuesday, no matter what school district they’re in, they’ll find budgets for the 2026-27 academic year that are tax-cap compliant. The districts have managed to preserve all of their programs and services without piercing the cap, which means the budgets need only a simple majority to pass.

As school districts across the East End tallied budget and school board votes Tuesday night, all eyes were on Montauk, where a $38.41 million renovation bond ended up failing by just 43 votes, with a record number of people weighing in. 

After a few years of inflationary pressures that had some school districts here piercing the state-mandated cap on tax levy increases, this year the easternmost districts on the South Fork are all proposing budgets for the 2025-26 school year that stay at or below the cap and will require only a simple majority to pass when voters go to the polls on Tuesday.

As the district works to put a tumultous period behind it, two incumbents on the board — Wayne Gauger and Kristen Peterson — are seeking re-election, with a third — Joseph Karpinski —- a parent of three children at the school and a vocal critic of the board and certain administrators, also vying for one of two seats.

In the Springs School District three people are running for two seats. The incumbents Erik Fredrickson and Emma Field are seeking second terms, while Gerard Picco is running for his first.

Only one name, Leigh-Ann Hess, will appear on the ballot to replace Diane Hausman on the Montauk School Board this year, but a late challenger, Tara Coleman, has mounted a write-in campaign.