Voters Overwhelmingly Pass East Quogue School Budget

While East Quogue residents voted down the school district's proposal to pierce the cap on the tax levy increase last month, voters came in full force to support a dialed-down budget this time around.

Voters approved a $22.4 million budget, 698 to 261 on Tuesday, passing the budget by a margin of about 72 percent, according to school officials. Only 50 percent was required. They also said voters approved a transportation proposition 708 to 251.

The approved budget is $587,000 less than the district put out to voters in May. The $23 million proposal was seven votes shy of passing, leading to a string of "gut-wrenching" cuts in order to make the second budget vote more palatable to voters, Robert Long, the principal said in recent weeks.

On Tuesday night, he said the district appreciates the community's support. 
"We are obviously are pleased with the result. Admittedly, this is somewhat bittersweet because of the cuts to faculty and staff necessitated by the first budget failing," he said. "Passing this budget allows us to maintain a vibrant and educationally sound educational program."

The budget fell last month because only 59 percent of the voters approved it, when the threshold to pierce the cap is 60 percent. The budget fell despite 494 votes in favor and 340 against.

The budget passed Tuesday includes cuts, such as two special education teachers, a part-time speech teacher, a part-time psychologist, a custodian, three teacher's aides and four teaching assistants — in addition to reductions already made in the previous proposal.

Had the budget failed again the state would have required the district, under state law, to adopt an austerity budget with no increase to the tax levy.