Hampton Bays board previews $67.5 million budget; May 20 vote to include $300,000 repair question
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Summary
District administrators presented a $67.5 million spending plan with a 3.32% tax levy cap and a projected 2.16% spending increase; state aid is expected to decline and the budget goes to voters May 20.
HAMPTON BAYS, N.Y. — District staff on Tuesday presented the Hampton Bays Union Free School District’s proposed $67,500,000 spending plan for 2025–26 and urged the community to consider the measure when it appears on the May 20 ballot.
In a budget presentation, Mr. Clemenson (staff member) told the board the district’s tax levy cap is 3.32% and that the spending increase in the proposed budget is about 2.16. “Our tax levy cap is 3.32%, and that's how much taxes would increase,” Clemenson said. He also said the district will remain within that cap.
The proposal includes roughly $67.5 million in total spending financed by a mix of local tax revenue, PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) funds, other local revenue and state aid. Clemenson told the board the district expects to see a reduction in state aid this year — the first time he and a long-serving colleague had experienced a year-over-year decrease — and attributed that change to shifts in property equalization and the state Foundation Aid formula.
Why it matters: The reduction in state aid and the district’s relatively high per-pupil spending place pressure on local property owners and shape the board’s decisions on program and maintenance priorities. The district’s presentation says the plan is conservative and designed to keep programs intact while remaining under the tax cap.
Key details from the presentation: - Enrollment: The district reported current enrollment at 2,011 students. An unadjusted projection for 2026 would put enrollment at about 1,944 students if no new students entered or left after kindergarten, Clemenson said. He noted last year’s transience included about 227 students entering and 163 exiting the district during the school year. - Programs: The district highlighted expanded academic opportunities, including 14 college dual-enrollment courses and 18 Advanced Placement courses, an applied STEAM lab, career and technical education (CTE) pathways, and an early childhood program that pairs 11th–12th grade aspiring teachers with pre-K classrooms for certification preparation. - Capital and facilities work: Planned summer projects include window replacements at the elementary and middle schools, toilet-room replacements in older wings (original to 1957 and 1968), and continued HVAC upgrades. The district described a question on the ballot that would allow the board to use up to $300,000 in unspent 2024–25 funds for routine repairs and renovations if those funds are available. - State aid and equity context: Clemenson said equalization adjustments made by Albany had the effect of presenting the district as wealthier in state aid calculations, contributing to the reduction in aid despite local economic need; he called continued advocacy for the Foundation Aid formula important.
Process and next steps: The budget will be decided by voters on Tuesday, May 20. The district will present two propositions: the main budget question for 2025–26, and a secondary question authorizing the board to apply up to $300,000 in leftover funds from the current year to routine maintenance if such funds remain. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; absentee ballots are available from Mrs. Lawson at the district office during normal business hours.
Board action at the meeting: The board opened and closed a public budget hearing as part of the agenda; no substantive public questions were recorded during the hearing.
The presentation also emphasized the district’s fiscal history: average budget increases over the prior decade near 2.9% and an average tax-levy increase near 1.9%, reflecting past freezes and prior increases in state aid. Clemenson framed the proposed budget as conservative given the combination of declining state aid and the district’s program commitments.
The board is scheduled to accept the budget or reject it at the May 20 vote; if voters reject the budget the district would follow the next steps allowed under New York education law (not discussed in detail at the meeting).
