Islip school district plans to pierce its 2026-27 tax levy cap
The Islip school board has approved a budget that calls for piercing the district's 2026-27 tax levy cap. Credit: Raychel Brightman
The Islip school board has adopted a budget that would raise its property tax levy by 2.85%, making it the seventh Long Island district to seek a cap override for 2026-27.
Board members approved the spending plan in a 6-1 vote during an April 21 board meeting. Board president Philip Dineen, who voted in support of the proposal, said at the meeting he hoped the override would be a “one-off.”
“I don't ever want to be in this position again,” he said.
When reached by phone Tuesday, Dineen declined to comment further.
Tom Leggio, the trustee who voted against the proposal, said in an email Tuesday: “I would have supported a budget that remained within the tax cap but that was not an option."
The last time Islip sought to pierce its tax levy was 2021, when the district had a negative tax cap. Voters approved Islip’s budget proposal, with a 2% levy increase, that year.
Busting the tax limit historically has been difficult, as at least 60% of voters must approve such a proposal. Last year, three districts attempted it and two failed.
This year, the other Island districts seeking to pierce their caps are Shelter Island, Bayport-Blue Point, Uniondale, Lynbrook, Greenport and South Country.
Rising costs
Islip officials have cited higher costs for transportation, special education and healthcare and liability insurance among the factors driving up expenditures.
Superintendent Dennis O’Hara said in an interview Tuesday the district had to make up a $1.9 million shortfall in a $106 million budget. Exceeding the cap will allow the district to raise an additional $400,000, compared to keeping the levy equal to the district's limit of 2.22%, according to the budget presentation.
An average homeowner with a market value property of $600,000 would pay an additional $262.97 a year if the budget is approved by district voters, according to Donna Brower, Islip’s assistant superintendent for business and operations. Brower presented the proposal at last week’s meeting.
Brower said the district collaborated with its bargaining units to negotiate savings.
“Every single unit within this district has come to the table to offer some negotiating savings to help us close this budget gap,” she said. “They're looking to do this to help keep programs intact.”
The adopted budget calls for the elimination of 13 positions, including nine through attrition. The rest would be laid off.
In return for the concessions from the unions, O’Hara said the district has promised not to make any further cuts to personnel.
O’Hara said the district went through “every single line in the budget” to cut costs but still maintain programs.
“If we absorb the $400,000, we would have to make decisions about programs that we think are vital to our students’ opportunities,” he said.
Islip is scheduled to hold its budget hearing on May 5, and the budget vote is on May 19.
Dandan Zou covers education for Newsday. Previously, she worked for a community newspaper in Maryland and a personal finance magazine in Washington, D.C.
