DiNapoli: Most schools stay within tax cap

Though the law capped annual increases at the lesser of 2 percent or the rate of inflation, the average allowable increase for districts this year is 3 percent. That's because the way the cap gets calculated each year doesn't include certain costs such as capital spending, payments in lieu of taxes and the full costs of increased pension funding.

The allowable levy increase for Long Island school districts for the 2012-2013 school year ranges from 1.4 percent at the Babylon school district to 5.6 percent at the Bridgehampton school district.

Out of 124 school districts on Long Island, 56 have reported their proposed levies to the comptroller's office and 68 have not. Districts are required to report the levy once it is adopted, but not the proposed levy.

The Amagansett school district was the only Long Island district to report that its proposed levy exceeds the cap and that it will seek a voter override for it. A district can exceed the cap if 60 percent of voters approve. Amagansett's proposed $8.4 million levy is $128,323 above the cap.