Clarkstown Picks New School Trustees: Election 2022

NEW CITY, NY — Clarkstown residents approved a 2022-23 school budget on Tuesday and elected two new trustees, Brian Montes and John Maltbie, to the Board of Education.

The $230.7 million proposed budget was approved with 73.67 percent of the vote. The budget is a 4.49 percent spending increase over the current year and it comes with a 1.97 percent hike in the school tax levy. That is within the state's tax cap for the district so the budget only needed to be approved by a majority vote.

School board incumbent Daniel Cazes sought re-election but current board President Walter Litvak did not seek another term. Also on the ballot: Brian Montes, Phillip DeGaetano, Jason Bass, Alana Rao and John Maltbie.

The district has been in turmoil for a year, mostly over the suppressed 8th-grade presentation on Black Lives Matter, the disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ouster of the superintendent.

Clarkstown, like Nyack, is now a local battleground for the national culture wars, focusing on acronyms like CRT (critical race theory) and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). The campaign was marked by vitriol particularly on social media as opponents of teaching about race relations in history and current events squared off against proponents of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives while politicians and outside groups made rare endorsements.

Board of Education

Six candidates ran for two seats.

• Daniel Cazes: 382
• Brian Montes: 2156
• Phillip DeGaetano: 1373
• Jason Bass: 1859
• Alana Rao: 1782
• John Maltbie: 2492

District spending

Budget proposed for 2022-23: $230,706,789

Yes: 3833

No: 1370