Commack $171M School Budget Passes By Wide Margin

Commack voters passed its $171 million budget for the 2012-13 school year on Tuesday by a vote of 2,977 to 1,723 despite a heated budget season leading up to the vote.

By passing the budget, the average homeowner within the Commack School District will pay a tax levy of 2.6 percent, which Commack school officials estimated as the average district taxpayer paying $239 to $258 more per year. 

Also decided in the election, incumbent trustee Deborah Guber beat challenger Daniel Fusco for a three-year term on the Board of Education starting July 1, 2012 by a vote of 2,453 to 2,012.

Under the adopted $171 million budget, Commack School District will lay off approximately 37 teachers, one administrator, two secretaries, six custodians and three teaching assistants. These numbers may change as the district is still in negotiations with several of its bargaining units.  

The budget will also cut 14 co-curricular clubs at Commack High School and five after-school clubs at Commack Middle School. The number of hours for Intramural sports will be reduced at the intermediate schools. 

The district will move forward with a $18 million Energy Performance Project that will bring a range of improved energy efficiency units to the school district from lighting to new roofs and energy management systems under Johnson Controls. The district will also enter a Computer Enhancement Project with BOCES to offer additional technology and more computers for students. 

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