East Islip board adopts 2025–26 spending plan with 1.75% tax-levy increase

The East Islip Union Free School District Board of Education adopted the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget at Monday’s meeting, approving a plan the administration said is supported by a 1.75% property-tax levy increase.

Business officer Steve Harrison said the general-fund budget is increasing about 2.35% year over year and reiterated the administration’s recommendation for a 1.75% levy — below the district’s maximum allowable increase of 2.93%. Harrison said the district expects roughly $29,000,000 in foundation (state) aid and about $4,600,000 in building aid; he also noted the district will appropriate about $6,400,000 from reserves to help close the revenue/expense gap. Universal free prekindergarten funding was cited at $962,900, which Harrison said funds 78 full-time slots.

Harrison described salary and benefit changes and said about 74% of expenditures remain salary and benefits. He warned that enrollment declines could threaten future state aid if the state’s foundation formula changes and explained the rules that would govern a contingent budget if voters do not approve the proposal.

Voters will consider two citizen-initiated petitions alongside the budget on May 20. One petition would change mileage eligibility for some grades and is estimated to cost the district about $350,000 annually (Harrison said it could require roughly two additional buses and associated fuel and reduce state-aid eligibility). The second petition would create a child-safety zone in a neighborhood south of Sunrise Highway; the district estimated that proposal’s levy impact at about $100,000 annually. Harrison said a consultant applied New York State’s point matrix to identify qualifying addresses.

Harrison also reviewed a capital-reserve proposition that the district established in 2023–24 and said the reserve can be funded up to $3,000,000 per year (not to exceed $30,000,000 over 10 years); he said spending from the reserve requires separate voter approval and identified potential projects such as switchgear replacement at the middle school and Colonial Avenue School.

Board members approved routine personnel and consent items during the meeting. District staff confirmed late in the agenda that the budget had been adopted earlier in the session; the administration said the adopted budget does not include additional funding to pay for seats for families currently on pre-K wait lists.

The budget will be reviewed further at a required May 6 hearing; the district’s public vote is scheduled for May 20 at the district’s polling locations between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.