Southold's $31M School Budget Passes By 'Overwhelming Majority'

SOUTHOLD, NY — Southold residents turned out in a big way to support their local school district, passing the budget by a landslide.

After the final absentee votes were tallied, the vote passed 1,170 to 393.

Voters also weighed in on Proposition 2, which called for the establishment of a $9.5 million capital reserve fund for rehabilitating, renovating, replacing and improving district facilities, the district said. The fund will have a term of 10 years, and will initially be funded with up to $1.2 million from other reserves, and up to $950,000 of unreserved, unappropriated fund balance from the 2019-2020 fiscal year and thereafter by budgetary appropriation and/or application of unreserved, unappropriated surplus.

That measure also passed by a wide margin of 1,184 to 376.

"Both Southold and Greenport budgets passed by overwhelming majorities!" said David Gamberg, superintendent of both school districts. "People in our communities support their local schools!"

The $31,010,000 budget for the Southold Union Free District reflects an increase of 1.33 percent from the past year; the tax levy increase of 1.47 percent is under the tax levy cap as calculated by using the state's formula, which includes allowable exclusions, the district said.

The district added that the average tax levy increase has been less than 1.65 percent over the past five years.

The budget, the district said, "maintains current programs and opportunities for students."

Gamberg announced his retirement this year; the search for two separate new superintendents has been ongoing. Anthony Mauro, a former administrator in the Sachem School District, has gotten the nod as the new Southold superintendent and Marlon Small has been chosen as the new superintendent in Greenport.

Three shared administrative positions with Greenport, the district said, will mean savings.

According to a mailer sent out by the district, during March and April, the school board reviewed the budget and listened to comments and suggestions from the community.

Incumbents Scott Latham and Brian Tobin ran unopposed for two open Board of Education seats; Latham received 1308 votes and Tobin, 1270.