Rockville Centre Budget Vote Results Are In: See How Voters Weighed In

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY — Results are in for the Rockville Centre school board and school budget election that took place today, and district officials say Mary Beth Joyce and Christa Dorrego have won school board seats while the school district's budget passed.

The budget passed with 1,915 "yes" votes and 1,195 "no" votes. On the school board election, Dorrego received 1,955 votes, Joyce received 1,947 and Janet Gruner received 1,347.

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The $141 million budget is a 1.03 percent increase from last year's budget. Of that $141.3 million, 78.35 percent will be allocated to programs, 12.93 percent will be in the capital budget and 8.72 percent will go toward administration. The budget will come with a 2.06 percent tax increase, which district officials said falls within the calculated tax cap.

While there are some staff reductions included in the budget, the number of reductions has changed slightly as the board has released different iterations of its budget plans. The most recent budget presented restored 13 positions, with 22 full time teaching positions still slated for elimination from the district. Those reductions will be accompanied by 40 teaching assistant positions and 12 retirements, district officials said.

The RVC district budget gained considerable public attention this spring after district officials said they would have to make "difficult" choices for next school year, choices brought on by the combination of rising property values and stagnating state aid that left the district facing a $3.78 million budget deficit.

With the budget and board vote in the rearview mirror, however, the district looks ready to move into the next school year.