Voting is currently underway in Huntington UFSD on the 2020/21budget proposition and a separate capital reserve fund proposition and to elect two members to the Huntington School Board.
Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order decreeing that this year’s voting be done exclusively by absentee ballot. The district has mailed absentee ballots to all registered voters this week and including a postage paid return envelope. Ballots must be postmarked by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 to be counted in the final tally.
A copy of the line by line budget along with a budget brochure and candidate guide are both posted on the district website at www.hufsd.edu. The website also includes a detailed video presentation on the budget by Superintendent James W. Polansky and a comprehensive set of PowerPoint presentations by Mr. Polansky covering different spending areas.
“It is important for the voters to recognize that the capital proposition (No. 2) is completely disconnected from the budget proposition (No. 1),” Mr. Polansky said. “The capital proposition requires no tax collection; it simply allows release of monies already situated in the district’s capital reserve fund accounts and which can be used for no purpose other than capital/infrastructure improvement.”
The proposed budget totals $135,938,167, an increase of 1.84 percent over the current year’s spending plan. If approved by residents, it would raise the tax levy by 1.77 percent, which is below the limit of 2.19 percent established by state law. The proposed tax levy is $466,249 below the tax cap limit
It is estimated that the tax rate will go from $245.65 to $249.99 per $100 of assessed valuation, an increase of 1.77 percent. The average district property assessed at $3,400 would pay an additional $147.48 before STAR program reductions are factored into final tax bills.
Should the district’s total assessed valuation come in higher than anticipated in the spending plan, trustees will be in a position to lower the actual increase when the tax rate is set early next fall.
District officials estimated the budget enacted by the state legislature in April would have provided Huntington UFSD with $18,659,508 in state aid. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic tumult it has caused significantly reduced state revenues. Districts across New York have been told to plan for a severe loss of expected aid. Huntington UFSD estimates it could lose almost $3 million from earlier projections. Spending reductions and additional use of reserves will make-up the loss in the 2020/21 budget.
The district has also found it necessary to plan for the possibility of post-pandemic costs associated with:
- Scheduling considerations/transportation
- Social distancing
- Health monitoring
- Student/staff hygienic practices
- ; Cleaning/sanitization practices
- Personal protective equipment
Huntington UFSD buildings have been closed since Monday, March 16 with students transitioning to remote learning platforms as of that date. This format will continue through the remainder of the school year.
Officials have stated the 2020/21 proposed budget will maintain the district’s strong financial position. Huntington UFSD has less than $1.4 million in debt, among the lowest amount of any school district in the state.
The budget presented to taxpayers funds:
- An extensive array of Regents, Honors and Advanced Placement courses in every academic area.
- Upgrades instructional technologies and infrastructure.
- Allocates monies for new classroom and library resources, computer software and instructional equipment, including computers and tablet devices.
- Continues the district’s 1:1 computing device initiative.
- Funds STEM/computer science initiatives throughout the district, including computer science electives at the high school level.
- Funds comprehensive art, music and physical education opportunities, including band, orchestra, choral groups, marching band, music ensembles and specialized art courses.
- Includes a comprehensive special education program for students with disabilities and support services for all students
- Provides a program of adult-supervised, after-school extracurricular activities, including dozens of clubs for students in grades 4-12.
- Continues commitments to the high school science research program and robotics programs.
- Funds student drama club productions, newspapers, concerts, science fairs and the district art show.
- Maintains the district’s K-5 dual language program and the world language FLEX program to fifth and sixth graders
- Continues the SEARCH and Math Olympiad programs for academically talented fifth and sixth graders.
- Funds dozens of athletic teams for high school and middle school students and a full-time athletic trainer
- Includes monies for elementary grade level intramural programs.
Capital Reserve Fund Proposition on Ballot
A capital reserve fund proposition is also on this year’s ballot. If residents approve the proposal it will fund an estimated $3.640 million worth of projects. It will not result in any increase in taxes since the monies already exist in a reserve fund established to cover costs with renovation and reconstruction work.
Huntington UFSD’s use of capital reserve funds has allowed the district to avoid borrowing large sums of money, incurring interest costs and accumulating debt. The district currently has less than $1.4 million in long-term debt, which is substantially below almost every other Long Island school district.
If residents approve release of the Building Improvement Fund monies, the district will be able to complete all of the projects without needing to bond or borrow any of the funds necessary. There will no tax rate impact if the funds are released. The district will also be eligible to be reimbursed by the state for approximately 37 percent of final costs.
The projects on the ballot include:
Huntington High School
- Partial roof replacement: $1 million
J. Taylor Finley Middle School
- Replace two original 1965 boilers: $1 million
- Reconstruct two science classrooms, laboratories and prep room: $1 million
- Reconstruct portions of corridors, hallways and/or floors related to a previously voter approved locker-room renovation project: $20,000 (Funded from the May 2019 proposition)
Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School
- Renovation of the auditorium seating and flooring: $300,000
Southdown Primary School Solar Power Project
- Install solar panels on the roof of Southdown Primary School: $340,000
District total: $3,640,000
The Huntington School District currently has $4,167,779 million in capital reserve fund accounts. By maintaining a well-funded reserve, the district has avoided borrowing costs to upgrade its facilities.
The monies in the capital reserve fund represent dollars already provided to the district by taxpayers that ultimately weren’t needed to pay for regular school operations due to economizing and tight-fisted fiscal management. The source of the funding is the annual transfer of surplus monies from the district’s general fund.
Should the proposition pass on June 9, the district’s architectural and engineering firm will formally design each of the projects and submit plans to the State Education Department for approval. Once SED approval is received, the district will seek bids for the work. District officials are hopeful that the bids will come in below estimates, lowering the cost of the projects.
BOE Race Includes Four Candidates
Current Huntington School Board member Xavier Palacios and challengers Kelly Donovan, Thomas Galvin and Joseph Mattio are in the race for trustee seats. The top two finishers will win election to three year terms commencing July 1 and running through June 30, 2023. Current three-term trustee and Huntington School Board President Jennifer Hebert is not running for re-election.
Trustees are volunteers and serve with any form of compensation. Profiles of the candidates can be found in the budget brochure and candidate guide posted on the district website at www.hufsd.edu.
Information about Voting
Questions about voting? Contact District Clerk Joanne Miranda at jomiranda@hufsd.edu or 631-673-2126.
Information about the Budget & Capital Reserve Fund Proposition
Questions about the proposed budget or capital reserve fund proposition? Contact Superintendent James W. Polansky at jpolansky@hufsd.edu or 631-673-2038.