Connetquot holds public hearing on $227 million proposed 2025-26 budget; tax levy increase limited by tax cap

Robert Hauser, assistant superintendent for business and operations for the Connetquot Central School District, presented the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget at a public hearing Tuesday, saying the district plans to spend about $227 million, a 2.91% increase over the current year, and to raise taxes at the maximum permitted under the tax cap — 1.34%.

Hauser told the board and audience that the proposed spending plan “maintains all the academic, all the athletic, all the extracurricular club activities, and all the services that are provided.” He said the budget would expand Universal Pre-K from 11 sections serving 190 students to two additional sections to accommodate 226 students.

The budget presentation included the district’s homeowner impact examples: for a home assessed at $10,000 the estimated school tax would be $2,114.42, an increase of $28.06 (a 1.34% rise). For a home assessed at $50,000, Hauser said the change would amount to about $11.69 per month. Hauser also explained the district must present a contingency budget: if voters reject the proposed budget and the district must adopt a contingency budget, roughly $2 million in expenses would have to be cut because the district would revert to a 0% levy increase.

Christina Poppe, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, read academic and program highlights included in the budget materials, noting Connetquot’s AP course offerings and recent recognitions, and reporting that the district received a recognition from the NAMM Foundation for music education. Poppe also described expanded computer science, engineering and special education programming at the elementary level, and said 14 athletic teams earned Scholar-Athlete recognition during 2024–25.

Hauser said the state budget was finalized May 9 and raised Connetquot’s state-aid estimate by about $184,000, primarily because of an increase in the BOCES component of state aid. He told the board that the additional aid will allow the district to restore roughly $184,000 back into reserves and fund balance after earlier projections that had shown using reserves to balance the budget.

On district rental revenue, Hauser described the existing lease with BOCES for the Prem facility (a 10‑year lease). He said rent received this school year is $474,271 and that the lease includes an increase clause that the budget assumes will bring rent to $483,007.50 in 2025–26; that rent is included as revenue in the proposed budget.

Hauser described efforts to expand dual-enrollment credit opportunities with Suffolk County Community College, saying the district is proposing that existing courses offered through the college’s BEACON program be converted to allow students to earn Suffolk credits. He said the district is awaiting the college’s decision and expects a response within weeks. He also noted existing dual-enrollment relationships with St. John’s, LIU and Farmingdale.

Hauser reminded the public that the budget proposition will appear on the ballot Tuesday, May 20, with polling open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the high school and the two middle schools. He opened the floor for public comment on the hearing; speakers asked for clarifications about whether the Suffolk arrangement would permit earning an associate degree (Hauser said it would not at this stage), and about how rental revenues are being applied to district finances.

Discussion versus decision: the board held a public hearing and received clarification from staff; no formal vote on the budget occurred at the meeting. The budget will be decided by voters on May 20.

Ending: The district posted a copy of the presentation and a budget newsletter for the public; Hauser and staff said additional details and final state-aid allocations are reflected in the materials provided to the board.