Following a series of budget presentations by South Country Central School District superintendent of schools Antonio Santana, the board of education unanimously adopted the district’s 2023-24 school budget during its meeting on April 19.

The average yearly increase per household is $140 or $11.68. The dollar amount of the school tax paid on an average single-family house under the proposed 2023-24 budget is $5,234.71.

The $140,882,000 proposed budget carries a tax levy of 2.75 percent, maintains all existing programs, and enhances several areas. The budget adds new staff, including a director of technology, a restorative justice coach, a work-based learning coordinator, three special education teachers and a foreign language teacher for a new program for sixth-grade students.

Additionally, funding is provided to help cover the cost of field trips for students from low-income families, for upgraded equipment for the outdated high school Mac computer lab, a Chromebook replacement plan, a new scoreboard for sports teams, and for the replacement of a playground and musical instruments that are no longer usable, according to the district.

The budget also includes a $1 million interfund transfer to capital, which allows the district to make improvements to its facilities on an ongoing basis and also garner state building aid in the long term. The idea regarding capital reserves in budget planning, Santana explained, is to use the reserves as permissible by mandates while replenishing them to the greatest extent possible. Along with the budget proposal, voters will be asked to vote on two additional propositions related to capital funds on May 16.

At no additional cost to taxpayers, the district is asking voters to authorize the use of the district’s remaining $2.5 million in capital reserve funds for the needed replacement of windows at Verne W. Critz Elementary School. Replacing the windows, which are currently nearly opaque with limited visibility, would cost approximately $2.2 million and generate future building aid, according to Santana. Additionally, voters will be asked to establish a new capital reserve fund with an eight-year cap of $10 million. If approved, the funds could only be used with voter approval for capital improvement projects.

In terms of proposed expenditures, the district reported that the budgetary process yielded $5,457,978 in increases and $7,364,958 in decreases, with the overall proposed budget being reduced by $1,906,980.

“Ultimately, the goal is to propose a budget that meets the demands of the school district in terms of operating costs; ensures the school district is in a good financial position to address unforeseen costs and to have an appropriate fund balance mitigate future challenges; and ensures that our larger community is considered when proposing the final tax levy, and I think we’ve done that as well,” Santana said.

To view the April budget adoption meeting, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-re3LhXA57E. For more information on the 2023-24 budget, visit https://www.southcountry.org/board_of_education/budget_vote. The budget vote and trustee election will be held on Tuesday, May 16, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Bellport Middle School.