Two Capital Reserve Propositions on May 20 Ballot
April 25, 2025
When Huntington UFSD residents go to the polls on Tuesday, May 20 they will vote on the 2025/26 budget proposition and a pair of capital reserve fund propositions, neither of which will impact the tax rate.
If residents vote in the affirmative, the first of the two capital reserve propositions would would provide funding to complete projects in seven district buildings. Passage of the proposition will not result in any increase in taxes since the monies already exist in reserve fund established to cover costs with renovation and reconstruction work.
The projects will utilize monies drawn from the 2022 Building Improvement Fund. 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’s long-term debt will be completely extinguished by a payment due on June 30.
The monies in the capital reserve fund represent dollars already provided to the district by taxpayers that weren’t need for regular school operations due to stringent fiscal management and economizing. The source of the funding is the annual transfer of surplus monies from the district’s general fund.
The projects that will be on the May 20 ballot include:
Flower Hill Primary School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
• Stage Egress/Fire-rated Walls: $100,000
Jefferson Primary School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
Southdown Primary School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
• Stage Egress/Fire-rating Walls: $100,000
Washington Primary School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
• Stage Egress/Fire-rating Walls: $100,000
Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
• Partial Roof Replacement (Phase 4): $1,000,000
Woodhull Intermediate School
• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000
Huntington High School
1. Interior-rating Walls: $150,000
2. Stair Enclosure for Smoke Separation: $472,500
3. Outside Athletic Field Bathrooms: $1,600,000
Total for All Projects: $3,642,500
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 a substantial percentage of final costs.
Should the proposition pass on May 20, the district’s architectural and engineering firm of BBS will formally design each of the projects and submit the 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.
New Building Improvement Fund Proposed
District residents are also being asked to authorize creation of a new Building Improvement Fund when they go to the polls on Tuesday, May 20. The new fund would replace a similar one that is set to expire soon.
If the proposition is approved by residents, the district would be authorized to transfer surplus monies as may be available at the end of each fiscal year “for a probable term of 10 years in an ultimate amount of $15 million.”
As is the case for the current fund, existing budget monies would once again be used to capitalize the new fund. If in any given year the district spends less money than it had originally anticipated, these surplus monies could be transferred by the Huntington School Board into the new Building Improvement Fund.
Residents would still have to give permission through a public vote before the district actually begins any project. The school district would be able to apply for state aid on any capital project it completes.
School officials are seeking permission to create the new fund for the purpose of completing district wide renovation and reconstruction projects. Establishing the fund will have no impact on taxes.
Monies contained in the Building Improvement Fund can only be used for capital projects, such as school roofs, asbestos abatement, heating and ventilation projects, masonry work, windows, site work, facility improvements, etc. None of the monies can be used for general school district expenditures.
Use of successive Building Improvement Funds has allowed the Huntington School District to avoid the need for selling bonds and incurring debt service payments to update its facilities. The district will eliminate the last vestige of its long term debt at the end of June.
Huntington UFSD has one of the lowest levels of debt of any school system on Long Island. By avoiding bonding, taxes have been kept lower than they otherwise would have been.