Education

School Vote ’11: Voter’s guide to local elections

Riverhead

Four candidates are seeking three seats on the Riverhead school board this Tuesday.

School board president Ann Cotten-Degrasse and vice president Greg Meyer are running for re-election, and newcomers Patricia Sapienza-Brown and Kimberly Ligon are also seeking seats on the seven-member board in the at-large election.

Ms. Cotten-Degrasse, Mr. Meyer and Ms. Sapienza-Brown have campaigned as a team.

Click to read school board candidate bios

Taxpayers will also vote on the $109.6 million spending plan for the 2011-12 school year Tuesday. It’s a budget that district officials say carries the lowest year-to-year spending increase in recent years.

The budget calls for a 1.26 increase from this school year, yet would raise the tax levy by just under 5 percent, or $4.6 million, due mostly to a $2.6 million reduction in state aid.

To keep spending down, Superintendent Nancy Carney said the budget eliminates 39 jobs — including 15 teaching positions — cuts funds for staff to attend conferences and restructures programs.

The vote will be held from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. in the high school gym.

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Shoreham-Wading River

In Shoreham-Wading River, incumbent board member Bob Alcorn is seeking a second term and is campaigning with fellow incumbent Jack Costas and newcomer Keith Field. Incumbent board member Bill McGrath is seeking his second term on the board. Newcomers Anthony DeLouise, Stephen Offutt and John Zukowski are seeking seats as well.

Click to read school board candidate bios

Taxpayers will also vote on a near $60 million budget proposal for the 2011-12 school year. The spending plan, which carries a 3.5 percent increase from the current year’s budget, would raise the tax levy about 2 percent. About $47.5 million would be raised from taxes.

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