School Bond Info Before You Vote

Riverhead Central School District residents hit the polls today to vote on the fate of two capital improvement bond proposals, one of which comes in at $78.4 million and another at just under $7 million.

We've compiled a few FAQ's with some links below to our past coverage on the bond. For more information on the bond proposal, you can check out the school district's website.

When and where do I vote?

• Voters will cast their ballots at four locations: Riley Avenue Elementary School, Aquebogue Elementary School, Riverhead High School, Phillips Avenue Elementary School. You should have received a voting card showing where your voting place is, though the district also provided a map online. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

How much would the bond cost me, personally?

• Costs vary with property value. Payments would begin in 2014. For a more exact estimate of how much the bond would cost you, the school district set up a "bond hotline" at 631-369-6823. Numbers released from the school district show that for the average homeowner in Riverhead (with a market home value of $280,000), an annual tax levy of roughly $40 would start in 2014 for Proposition One. Costs would increase to a levy of just over $210 from 2017-2033, and then decrease until 2036.
• For Proposition Two, the average homeowner would pay $66.12 every year from 2014 through 2034.

What are the exact upgrades the school district is proposing on each building in the bond proposals?

• Superintendent Nancy Carney . The school district lays out a school-by-school breakdown on its website.

Who decided what should be upgraded in the bond proposals?

• The Board of Education had the final say in determining what to put out for a vote. However before the board members made their decision, they created a committee — open for the public to take part in — which to make a recommendation to the board. The committee , Proposition One. The board then unanimously voted to offer a , contingent upon passage of the first proposition.

Check back with Riverhead Patch tonight for up-to-the-minute coverage on passage of the bond. For faster updates, follow us on Twitter (@RiverheadPatch), or 'like' us on Facebook.