Putnam Voters Approve School Budgets
School Districts in Putnam County had no trouble passing their 2013-2014 budgets Tuesday night, as all six passed with votes to spare.
Brewster
The Brewster Central School District’s 2013-2014 budget easily passed, 1336 votes to 595. The $85,999,723 budget will raise the tax levy 1.94 percent. A proposition to borrow $430,000 to purchase four busses or vans also passed.
On the school board, incumbent S. Peter Pastore was re-elected, while Diane O’Brien was elected to her first term on the board. They beat out Daniel Armstrong and Elizabeth Cullen.
Carmel
The Carmel Central School District’s $113,616,757 budget for the upcoming school year was also approved by voters, with 1,379 supporting and 806 opposing it. The tax levy increase will be 2.98 percent. One proposition, for a number of capital improvements in schools throughout the district, passed while a second, which would have approved the construction of a fitness and wellness center at Carmel High School, was defeated.
Incumbents Greg Riley and Eric Mittelstadt were re-elected, while John Cody will be joining them on the school board. They defeated Ralph Fleischman and Stam Dewbury.
Haldane
In the Haldane Central School District, the budget passed 554 to 210 votes. The $22,345,120 budget will increase taxes by 2.83 percent. A referendum for a school bus, van and school security improvement project also passed.
Incumbent Gillian Thorpe was re-elected to the school board, while Jennifer Daly was also elected. They topped Julisa Rincon-Tomizawa.
Garrison
The Garrison Union Free School District’s $9,752,778 budget passed 202 to 74, as taxes will increase 2.18 percent.
Charlotte Rowe, an incumbent, and Derek DuBois were elected to the school board, topping Julia Wynn.
Mahopac
The Mahopac Central School District had no trouble passing its budget this time, as 1,838 voters approved of the $115,368,194 spending plan while 1,170 opposed. A proposition to authorize the purchase of three 65-passenger busses, two 20-passenger vans and one 20-passenger wheelchair accessible van passed by a similar margin.
Marc Pekowsky, Tilde Zimmerman and Lucy Massafra were elected to the school board, while former board member Damian Kennedy lost the final seat to Zimmerman by just three votes.
Putnam Valley
The Putnam Valley Central School District passed its $48,625,726 budget by a 798 to 449 margin. The budget will increase the tax levy by 2.70 percent.
Incumbent Jeanine Rufo was elected to the school board, as was newcomer Ralph Smith. They topped incumbent Joe Ferraro, who finished 12 votes behind Smith.
