Schools

School Budget Proposal Comes in Under Tax Levy Cap

Riverhead Superintendent Nancy Carney presented next year's budget on Tuesday night.

Riverhead Central School District Superintendent Nancy Carney reported on Tuesday night that next year's proposed budget – up for vote next month – will come at a 3.82 percent increase in year's tax bill for district residents.

Carney's presentation (attached as a PDF) noted that while the increase appears to come above the "2 percent" state law enacted last year, payments such as employee retirement and debt service are exempt from the law.

The school district's debt service is expected to increase next year – an 11.4 percent jump over the current year's budget – after voters approved a $78 million construction bond in late 2011.

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Health insurance costs also are expected to continue to balloon, increasing another 8 percent next year.

According to the presentation, state law permitted the district to carry a 5.14 percent increase over last year. The proposed budget comes in $1.16 million under the allowable amount.

Find out what's happening in Riverheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The proposed spending increase as a whole comes in at 5.12 percent year-over-year, however helping the school stay well under the tax levy cap is a sizeable boost in state aid. After Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed sending $18.75 million to the district in the coming school year, the final state budget put $20.45 million – or 16 percent over last year – in RCSD's coffers.


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