Vote Today on Budget & Capital Reserve Propositions & Trustee Election

Huntington School District residents will go to the polls today, Tuesday, May 20 to cast ballots on the proposed school budget for 2025/26 and two capital reserve fund propositions and to elect two members to the board of education. Voting will be held in the Huntington High School gymnasium from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The budget totals $157,776,153, an increase of 3.61 percent over the current year’s spending plan. If approved by residents, the 2025/26 budget would raise the tax levy by 2.89 percent.

It is estimated that the tax rate will go from $262.17 to $269.74 per $100 of assessed valuation. Taxes on the average assessed home would rise by a projected $266.40 before STAR program savings are applied.

The district is budgeting for assessed valuation to hold steady at $44,644,462. The final tax rate will be set in the fall after the district receives final figures from the town assessor.

The proposed budget:

• Provides for an extensive line-up of Regents, Honors and Advanced Placement courses in every academic area.

• Provides for academic enrichment and support based upon individual student needs.

• Provides students with academic and social-emotional intervention and support services as needed.

• Continues to enhance the district’s technological infrastructure, including desktops, laptops, SMART Boards and software.

• Provides tools for implementation for new computer science and physical education courses, as well as revised standards in all core disciplines.

• Funds comprehensive art and music opportunities, including band, orchestra, chorus, marching band, music ensembles, and specialized art courses.

• Funds a full complement of varsity, junior varsity and middle school sports teams along with free intramural, weight training and fitness programs.

• Continues to broaden interdisciplinary STEM initiatives throughout the district.

• Includes a comprehensive special education program for students with disabilities and support services for all students.

• Reinforces the district’s commitment to the Virtual Enterprise, science research and robotics programs.

• Provides a complete program of adult-supervised after-school extracurricular activities, including dozens of clubs for students and enhanced intramurals for grades 4-12.

• Funds student drama club productions, newspapers, concerts, science fairs and the district art show.

The 2025/26 budget includes a transfer to capital of $260,000 to replace smoke separation doors (including panic device latching hardware and door replacement) at Flower Hill Primary School, Jefferson Primary School and Woodhull Intermediate School.

Officials believe the budget is a conservative plan that will keep the district financially strong while providing an exceptional educational experience for 4,000 students.

Capital Reserve Fund Propositions

Residents are also being asked to vote on a pair of capital reserve fund propositions, neither of which will impact the tax rate. If residents vote in the affirmative, the first of the two capital reserve propositions would provide funding to complete projects in seven district buildings.

Passage of the proposition will not result in any increase in taxes since the monies already exist in reserve fund established to cover costs with renovation and reconstruction work.

The projects will utilize monies drawn from the 2022 Building Improvement Fund. Huntington UFSD’s use of capital reserve funds has allowed the district to avoid borrowing large sums of money, incurring interest costs and accumulating debt. The district’s long-term debt will be completely extinguished by a payment due on June 30.

The monies in the capital reserve fund represent dollars already provided to the district by taxpayers that weren’t needed for regular school operations due to stringent fiscal management and economizing. The source of the funding is the annual transfer of surplus monies from the district’s general fund.

The projects that will be on the May 20 ballot include:

Flower Hill Primary School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

• Stage Egress/Fire-rated Walls: $100,000

Jefferson Primary School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

Southdown Primary School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

• Stage Egress/Fire-rating Walls: $100,000

Washington Primary School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

• Stage Egress/Fire-rating Walls: $100,000

Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

• Partial Roof Replacement (Phase 4): $1,000,000

Woodhull Intermediate School

• Interior Doors – Kitchen Tray Pass: $20,000

Huntington High School

1. Interior-rating Walls: $150,000

2. Stair Enclosure for Smoke Separation: $472,500

3. Outside Athletic Field Bathrooms: $1,600,000

Total for All Projects: $3,642,500

If residents approve of the release of the Building Improvement Fund monies, the district will be able to complete all of the projects without needing to bond or borrow any of the necessary funds. There will be no tax rate impact if the funds are released. The district will also be eligible to be reimbursed by the state for a substantial percentage of final costs.

Should the proposition pass on May 20, the district’s architectural and engineering firm of BBS will formally design each of the projects and submit the plans to the State Education Department for approval. Once SED approval is received, the district will seek bids for the work. District officials are hopeful that the bids will come in below estimates, lowering the cost of the projects.

New Building Improvement Fund Proposed

District residents are also being asked to decide whether to create a new Building Improvement Fund. The new fund would replace a similar one that is set to expire soon.

If the proposition is approved by residents, the district would be authorized to transfer surplus monies as may be available at the end of each fiscal year “for a probable term of 10 years in an ultimate amount of $15 million.”

As is the case for the current fund, existing budget monies would once again be used to capitalize the new fund. If in any given year the district spends less money than it had originally anticipated, these surplus monies could be transferred by the Huntington School Board into the new Building Improvement Fund.

Residents would still have to give permission through a public vote before the district actually begins any project. The school district would be able to apply for state aid on any capital project it completes.

School officials are seeking permission to create the new fund for the purpose of completing district wide renovation and reconstruction projects. Establishing the fund will have no impact on taxes.

Monies contained in the Building Improvement Fund can only be used for capital projects, such as school roofs, asbestos abatement, heating and ventilation projects, masonry work, windows, site work, facility improvements, etc. None of the monies can be used for general school district expenditures.

Use of successive Building Improvement Funds has allowed the Huntington School District to avoid the need for selling bonds and incurring debt service payments to update its facilities. The district will eliminate the last vestige of its long term debt at the end of June.

Residents to Elect New Trustees

District residents will also elect two new members of the Huntington School Board on Tuesday, May 20. First time candidates Jenna Prada and Jon Weston are running unopposed for the seats currently held by longtime incumbents Bill Dwyer and Michele Kustera who are not seeking re-election.

The three year terms of the new trustees will run from July 1 through June 30, 2028. Huntington UFSD’s seven person Board of Education is all volunteer. Trustees serve without any type of financial or other compensation.