Community Corner
Southampton Budget Passes by Overwhelming Margin
Despite a low turnout, the budget passes with the most "yes "votes in recent memory.
By a wide margin, Southampton School District voters approved a 2.64 percent tax levy increase for 2013-14.
The budget passed with 71.5 percent of voters in favor — the highest rate of passage the district has seen in recent memory. The final tally was 402 to 160.
While the tax levy represents all the revenue raised through property taxes, the budget itself is slated to rise 3.99 percent to $61,877,948. The new tax rate is projected to be $2.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value, which amounts to a 2.63 percent rate increase.
According to the district, a homeowner with an assessment of $1 million can expect to pay $62.20 more for the year, and an assessment of $500,000 means a $31.10 increase. Homeowners whose assessments have gone up or down since the prior year will see a different tax impact.
The only candidate on the School Board ballot, incumbent Christina Strassfield, won a second four-year term with 328 votes.
Voters also approved every proposition on the ballot: New bus purchases, 426-137; $1.5 million in repairs and renovation, 435-129; $398,320 for Southampton Youth Association, 413-150; $326,509 for the Parrish Art Museum, 345-212; and $98,000 for the Southampton Historical Museum, 394-167.
