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PLAINVIEW-OLD BETHPAGE board urges voters to consider $99.5 million bond to ease crowding and fix buildings
Summary
District leaders and their advisers described a $99.5 million bond package they say will address long‑term enrollment growth, upgrade aging infrastructure and add classroom, cafeteria and gym capacity; officials said the estimated impact on a home with average assessed value would be under $40 per month for Proposition 1.
District officials on Thursday urged Plainview‑Old Bethpage residents to weigh a pair of bond propositions that school leaders say are aimed at long‑term enrollment growth and urgent building repairs.
Doctor O’Meara, a district administrator, told the board the primary package — described at the meeting as Proposition 1 and estimated at roughly $99,500,000 — would fund classroom additions, a larger cafeteria, a second gymnasium, auditorium improvements, and upgrades required by the state building condition survey. "For homes with an average assessed value, Proposition 1 would result in an increase of less than $40 a month," Doctor O’Meara said.
Why it matters: presenters said the district has experienced steady enrollment increases (201 students entered the district since July 1, with a net gain of about 167), and projections show cohorts growing such that JFK High School could exceed its design capacity over the next decade. Officials said the bond would add roughly 10 classrooms at the high school, expand cafeteria seating and add an auditorium that seats about 900 people (800 audience, plus stage capacity), and provide space for counseling and career resources.
Officials and advisers also framed the financing plan as staged rather than immediate borrowing for the full amount. The presentation cited a $32,000,000 component tied to a state‑required five‑year building condition survey and said the district would seek short‑term financing for initial projects and leverage its high bond rating to lower interest costs. District staff said they would not borrow more than the actual project costs and that state building aid — about 51% for eligible projects, the district said — would offset bond payments as projects are completed.
At the meeting, board members and advisers addressed common taxpayer questions and misperceptions. Trustees pointed to the district’s track record of conservative levies and reserve management and encouraged residents to review detailed cost breakdowns posted on the district website. One trustee noted the district’s AAA (triple‑A) bond rating and the ways that rating helps reduce interest expense.
Public comment included residents who said the projects were necessary; one longtime committee volunteer who identified himself as a member of the bond committee called the construction "necessary" and urged voters to consider the long timeframe of need. Another resident asked whether savings from projects that come in under budget would be returned to taxpayers; district staff replied that they would borrow only what is needed and that lower borrowing would reduce the tax impact.
Next steps: the bond vote is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 14, with polling hours and absentee ballot information posted on the district website. The board encouraged voters to review the bonds page and ask questions before casting ballots.
