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Westhampton Beach’s board of education adopted a $66,756,249 to put out to voters during its April 8 meeting.
The Westhampton Beach Board of Education unanimously approved a $66,756,249 budget to put out to voters for the 2025-26 school year.
During an April 8 board meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carolyn Probst detailed the planning realities and challenges of the spending plan that is 2.89 percent, or $1,877,036, more than this current year’s budget. The 3.18 percent increase in the tax levy, which rises to $35,679,656, is under the state cap on property tax rate increases.
Breaking down the budget, programming costs are the largest piece of the pie, costing the district just over $47 million. The capital budget is just over $12 million and administrative budget is just over $7 million.
Salaries and benefits account for half the district’s expenditures, while debt services are 7 percent, contractual obligations are 7 percent, transportation costs are 3 percent , Eastern Suffolk BOCES fees are 3 percent, transfers are 2 percent, textbooks are 1 percent and supplies are 1 percent.
When it comes to revenues that fund the budget, property taxes cover 54 percent, while payments in lieu of taxes pays for 38 percent, state aid is 4 percent, reserves account for 2 percent, other revenues 1 percent and the appropriated fund balance funds 1 percent.
Capital projects in the proposed budget include repairs to the district’s heating and HVAC systems, flooring repairs and replacements, plumbing updates, painting, curb and concrete repairs, the installation of security blue lights, lighting replacements in the auditorium, masonry repointing and blacktop resurfacing.
A second administrative position at the elementary school is also added into the proposed plan, as Middle School Assistant Principal Marykate Hill, who was splitting time between the two buildings, moves to the middle school full-time. The supplemental position is part of a corrective action plan announced in January to address low English language arts test scores at the elementary level.
A homeowner with a house with an assessed value of $750,000 this year, compared with next, can expect to see a $148.80 increase in his or her taxes.
A budget hearing will take place at the May 12 board meeting in the high school library at 7 p.m. The annual budget vote and trustee election takes place on Tuesday, May 20, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school’s large group instruction room. Along with the budget, voters will be asked to approve two other propositions — the Westhampton Free Library and Greater Westhampton Historical Museum budgets.
