B-BP Voting Guide: Budget, Elections & 2 Referendums on Ballot

Bayport-Blue Point taxpayers will go to the polls Tuesday to decide on a proposed $64,908,505 budget, which carries a spend increase of 1.96 percent and a tax levy increase of 2.29 percent, which falls within the state-mandated tax levy cap.

The proposal includes the $175,000 cost of possibly expanding transportation for parochial students. If the transportation referendum does not pass, the tax levy increase would drop to 1.89 percent.

Voters will also elect board members for three seats, and also vote on a referendum to decrease the current board from seven trustees to five.

School Budget Proposal

The proposed spend plan of $64,908,505 features a 2.29 percent tax levy increase, which is below the district tax levy cap of 2.38 percent and which meets the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy requirement. District leaders cite attrition in teaching staffing and custodial staffing, renegotiated service contracts and overall “belt tightening” as reasons for the tax increase, according to the district budget newsletter. Professional development costs were also reduced.

The proposed budget features the addition of a new science research program at the high school.

The proposal represents an annual tax increase of $207 for homeowners, based on a home market value of $400,000, which equates to 57 cents per day, according to the district’s budget presentation.

Board Size Reduction Referendum

Voters will decide whether to keep the current board member size of seven, or reduce it to five. The referendum is the result of a resident petition effort.

Private/Parochial Transportation Proposition

Voters will decide on a proposition, which is the result of a resident petition effort, to increase mileage limits for private/parochial school transportation.

The current policy reflects the state minimum requirement that a district provide busing to schools that are between two and 15 miles of a student’s home.

The referendum proposes increasing the mileage limit to 25 miles, and would accommodate 32 more student bus riders.

District officials estimate the additional cost would be $175,000, which reflects a 0.4 percent in the tax levy. State aid is provided on district transportation and for this current year, the aid was 48.8 percent of the total cost.

Board of Education Trustee Election

Voters will elect members to three seats. There are two incuments seeking election, Andrea O'Neill and Jane Burgess. There are four challengers vying for election as well.

Newcomer Bill Milligan is challenging incumbent trustee Burgess.

Newcomers Michael Miller and John Lynch are vying against fellow newcomer Mike Miller for the two-year seat now held by current BOE Vice President O’Neill.

O'Neill is seeking re-election to the three-year seat of Kathleen Heinlein, who elected not to seek re-election this year. Her current seat is a two-year term given the board reduction from nine to seven members. O'Neill is being challenged by Rebecca Campbell.

Voting will take place Tuesday, May 15 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Bayport-Blue Point High School gymnasium.