Westhampton Beach School District Budget Approved By Wide Margin

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — Westhampton Beach residents headed to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the 2022 to 2023 school budget vote and school board candidate election — and voted to approved the budget by a wide margin of 475 to 130.

The Westhampton Free Library budget also passed, 463 to 144.

Of four candidates running for two open Board of Education seats, including Casandra Cerrick, Elizabeth Lanni-Hewitt, Katheryn Antonio-Rios and incumbent Dawn Arrasate, winners were Arraste with 417 votes and Lanni-Hewitt with 349 votes. Carrick received 253 votes and Antonio-RIos, 57, the district siad.

The Westhampton Beach Union Free School District's proposed budget of $61,544,294 represents a budget-to-budget increase of 2.39 percent and a tax levy increase of 2.14 percent, in compliance with the tax levy cap.

"The district is proud to continue to provide all students with the best possible experience, while being responsible to our residents," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carolyn Probst. "The support of our community continues to help us provide first-rate opportunities for all students."

She added: "Our goal this year was to bring back many of the activities and experiences that had been put on hold during the pandemic, and this budget builds upon that effort."