Super Tuesday 2023: East End School Budget Voter’s Guide

Voters will head to the polls next Tuesday, May 16 to decide the fate of two dozen school district budgets across the East End and, in some cases, local board of education races.

AMAGANSETT

The Amagansett Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $31.9 million budget, which includes a 4% spending increase. There are also two propositions on the ballot. One to authorize $1.8 million to install new ventilators in all classrooms, replace sidewalks and install new landscaping. The second proposition is asking voters to utilize $148,611 from the district’s capital reserve to purchase a new school bus. Kevin Warren is running for re-election to the school board and Addie Slater-Davison is running unopposed for a vacant seat. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. at The Amagansett School.

BRIDGEHAMPTON

The Bridgehampton Schools’ proposed $21.7 million budget that the district is asking voters to approve includes a 3.74% spending increase and a 3.2% tax increase. Two members of the board of education are running unopposed for re-election: Kathleen McCleland and Markanthony Verzosa. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. at the Bridgehampton School gymnasium.

EAST HAMPTON

The East Hampton Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $79,079,317 budget with a 3.37% tax increase. Also on ballots will be a proposition asking voters to approve spending $3.925 million from its reserve fund to repair the parking lot and improve drainage at the John M. Marshall Elementary School, install a veranda outside of the East Hampton High School cafeteria as well as repair the parking lot and install a new bathroom at the high school, and install new lockers at East Hampton Middle School. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. in the board room.

EAST QUOGUE

The $28.3 million East Quogue Union Free School District budget that officials are asking voters to approve includes a 4% spending increase and a tax increase of just under 2%. Voters will also be asked to approve an $830,028 expenditure by the East Quogue Union Free School District for the Suffolk County Cooperative Library System. In addition, Fallon Moscicki is challenging school board members Kristin Jankowski and Kristi LoRusso, who are both seeking re-election. The election will be held 7 a.m.–9 p.m. in the gym.

FISHERS ISLAND

The Fishers Island School District is asking voters to approve a $3.9 million budget, which has a 2.8% spending increase and a 2.8% tax increase. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. at the Fishers Island Community Center.

GREENPORT

The Greenport Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $23.7 million budget, which has a 6.5% tax increase and 9.63% spending increase. Amanda Clark is challenging incumbent Kirsten Droskoski, who is running for re-election to the board of education. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. in the high school gym.

HAMPTON BAYS

The Hampton Bays School District is asking voters to approve its $63.9 million budget, which has a 7.35% spending increase. It also has a proposition seeking approval to spend $300,000 in reserve funds for repairs, renovations or improvements to buildings or grounds. Dot Capuano is running for re-election unopposed to the school board. The election will be held 7 a.m.–9 p.m. at the middle school gym.

MATTITUCK-CUTCHOGUE

The Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District proposed a $44 million budget with a 2.74% spending increase that the board is asking the public to approve. Also on the ballot is a proposition seeking approval to spend $4,391,454 in reserves to repair the roof at the elementary school and the junior-senior high school. School board member Patricia Arslanian is seeking re-election and challengers Lauren Ocker and Lorraine Warren are running for the board, which has one open seat. The election will be held 3–9 p.m. in the junior-senior high school.

MONTAUK

The Montauk Public School district is asking the public to approve its proposed $22 million budget, which has an 8.1% spending increase. Lee White is running unopposed for the school board. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. in the gym.

NEW SUFFOLK

The New Suffolk Common School District proposed a $1.1 million budget with an 8.2% spending increase that the administration is asking voters to approve. Brooke Dailey is running unopposed for the board of education to replace outgoing member Tony Dill. The election will be held 3–9 p.m. in the New Suffolk Common School.

OYSTERPONDS

The Oysterponds Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its proposed $5.5 million budget with a 42% decrease in spending. School board members Janice Caufield and Jeffrey Demarest are running unopposed for re-election. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. in the school gym.

QUOGUE

The Quogue Union Free School District proposed a $9.9 million budget with a 2% spending increase that the board is asking voters to approve. Malcolm McLean is running unopposed for re-election to the school board. The election will be held 2–8 p.m. in the Quogue School.

REMSENBURG-SPEONK

The Remsenburg-Speonk Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $16 million budget with a 3% spending increase. It is also seeking approval for a proposition to create a capital reserve fund of up to $3 million. Kathleen Hofmann is running unopposed for re-electon to the school board. The election will be held 9 a.m.–9 p.m. at the elementary school.

RIVERHEAD

The Riverhead Central School District proposed a $191 million budget with a 13% spending increase that the district is asking voters to approve. Virginia Healy is seeking re-election to the school board. David Dougherty, Eve Kaplan-Walbrecht, Erica Murphy, Cynthia Redmond, James J. Scudder and Kimberly Wilder are running for four seats up for grabs after two incumbents declined to run again and another resigned. The election will be held 9 a.m.–9 p.m. at the elementary schools.

SAG HARBOR

The Sag Harbor Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its proposed $48 million budget with a 4.5% spending increase. Also on the ballot are propositions to spend $9.4 million to buy property, to create a $10 million capital reserve fund and to spend $75,000 on the Sag Harbor Historical Museum. Alex Kriegsman and Sandi Kruel are running for re-election unopposed and Daniel Marsili is running for a vacant seat. The election will be held 7 a.m.–9 p.m. at the high school gym.

SAGAPONACK

The Sagaponack Common School proposed a $1.8 million budget with a 0.085% spending increase that it is asking voters to approve. Thomas Schultz is running unopposed for re-election to the school board. The election will be held 7:30–8:30 p.m. at the school.

SHELTER ISLAND

The Shelter Island School District is asking voters to approve its proposed $12.6 million budget with a 1.76% spending increase. A proposition on ballots seeks voter approval to spend $102,000 to transport students to nonpublic schools. School board members Dawn Hedberg and Tracy McCarthy are seeking re-election and Emily R. Parsons and Anthony J. Rando are running for the board, which has one vacant seat. The election will be held noon–9 p.m. at the Shelter Island School.

SHOREHAM-WADING RIVER

The Shoreham-Wading River Central School District is asking voters to approve its $84.7 million proposed budget with a 2.1% spending increase. Katie Andersen, Michael Lewis and Henry Perez are running unopposed for re-election to the school board. The election will be held 7 a.m.–9 p.m. at the high school gym.

SOUTHAMPTON

The Southampton Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $76.8 million proposed budget with a 2.5% spending increase. Propositions on ballots seek approval to spend reserve funding on a bus, smart panels and building renovations. Donald J. King and Sunhe Sherwood-Dudley are seeking re-election to the school board and Monique Proctor is challenging the incumbents. The election will be held 10 a.m.–9 p.m. at the intermediate school.

SOUTHOLD

Voters are being asked to approve the Southold Union Free School District’s proposed $33.1 million budget with a 2.9% spending increase. The district also seeks approval to spend up to $3.4 million from the reserve fund to buy new boilers. School board members Scott Latham and Brian Tobin are seeking re-election against challengers Thomas Grattan Jr., Thomas Kennedy, Kristian Prior and Marta Thomas in a race to fill one vacant seat. The election will be held 3–9 p.m. at the high school gym.

SPRINGS

The Springs Union Free School District is asking voters to approve its $33.4 million budget with a 7.6% spending increase. A proposition on ballots seeks approval to buy a new school bus. Patrick Brabant is running for re-election to the school board and Katie Sarris is running to fill vacancy. The election will be held 1–9 p.m. at the school library.

TUCKAHOE

Voters are being asked to approve the Tuckahoe Union Free School District’s proposed $23.8 million proposed budget with a 3.1% spending increase. Robert E. Grisnik is running unopposed for re-election to the school board. The election will be held 7 a.m.–8 p.m. at the district office.

WAINSCOTT

The Wainscott Common School District is asking the public to approve its $61 million proposed budget with a 49% spending increase. It is also seeking approval for a proposition to increase spending to the 2022–2023 budget by up to $1 million to cover unforeseen expenses. Melanie Hayward is running against incumbent school board member David Eagen. The election will be held 1:30–8 p.m. at the Wainscott Common School.

WESTHAMPTON BEACH

Voters are being asked to approve the Westhampton Beach School District’s proposed $62.9 million budget with a 2.3% spending increase. Halsey C. Stevens and Heather A. Wright are running unopposed for re-election to the school board. The election will be held 7 a.m.–9 p.m. at the high school.