Seaford, Westbury budgets fail

School budget revotes produced a split Tuesday night, with spending plans narrowly approved in the Locust Valley and Oyster Bay-East Norwich districts, but rejected in Seaford and Westbury.

For the winners, the results provided apparent confirmation that more parents and other school supporters turned out the second time around to prevent another rejection. For the losers, the result means going to a contingency, or "austerity," budget.

"I can tell you, I'm very happy it passed," said Keith Kowalsky, an outgoing Oyster Bay school board member. "We need to keep our schools strong."

But in Seaford, where voters turned down the budget, 1,479 to 1,278, school officials had faced an uphill struggle. Even after reductions, the district's revised budget would have meant a tax hike of 8.35 percent -- the highest increase in any Nassau County district. Last night's rejection means the district tax increase will be 8.12 percent.

Seaford authorities said they tried to contain costs as much as they could, but a $1.5 million cut in state aid and a lack of reserve funds forced taxes up beyond what local voters were willing to accept.

"There were some things just beyond our control," said Brian Conboy, the district superintendent.

Earlier in the day at local polls, many parents and others voiced disappointment and surprise that their districts were among the few where initial budgets were rejected last month. Islandwide, more than 95 percent of districts approved budgets on May 17, continuing a series of election-night successes that have weathered three consecutive years of economic turmoil.

Only one district, tiny Fishers Island, went straight to a contingency budget rather than schedule a revote.

"I would feel so sad if they took away one teacher from our schools," said one Oyster Bay voter, Gabriella Anastasakis, the mother of two elementary students. She arrived at the district's high school wearing a "Your Vote Matters" sticker on her shirt.

The Oyster Bay-East Norwich budget of $50.18 million -- down $475,627 from the original plan -- will raise spending 2.96 percent and property-tax collections 4.34 percent. The budget passed 1,182 to 1,034.

Before last night's vote, Seaford officials had said that a second defeat would result in loss of winter and spring middle school sports. The district already had cut 25 full-time and part-time positions, including 10 teaching slots, along with summer remedial classes and some seventh-grade sports.

Westbury officials, meanwhile, had said that under contingency the district would have to charge fees to community groups for use of school facilities. The district already had eliminated six staff positions through retirements.

Under state contingency rules, districts also are barred from buying new equipment, such as computers.

While rising taxes were an Islandwide issue this year, some school elections seemed swayed more by issues that were largely local. Case in point: the $200,000-plus annual salaries that have become the norm for district superintendents.

In Westbury, many voters carried a flier distributed by Larry Wornum, a former school board member who lost his bid for re-election last year. The flier criticized a recent request for a raise by the district's longtime superintendent, Constance Clark, noting that Clark's current listed base salary of $300,632 is more than the governor earns. (Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo earns $179,000.)

"I find that galling," said Wornum, who urged voters to say "no" to the budget again.

Tuesday night, Clark clarified her position, saying she would seek no raise in the coming school year and a 3 percent hike in 2012-13.

Westbury's revised $109-million spending plan -- down $692,624 from the original budget -- would have raised spending 3.53 percent and the property-tax levy 3.17 percent. The budget plan was defeated 630 to 567.

In Locust Valley, parents' groups had campaigned to get more supporters to the polls. The district had warned that a second budget rejection would result in elimination of more than a dozen programs, including elementary foreign-language lessons and high school driver's education.

In an email, the Locust Valley Bayville Soccer Club advised parents that a contingency budget would require the group to pay fees for use of school fields. "It could double the cost of youth sports," the message said.

Locust Valley's revised $73.7-million budget, down $144,800 from the initial plan, raises spending 2.7 percent and taxes 5.78 percent. The budget passed 1,494 to 1,304.