HHH School Budget Approved

Half Hollow Hills residents approved next year's school budget on Tuesday by 69 percent.

"We did it," exclaimed Superintendent Kelly Fallon as the results were announced in the High School East gymnasium around 10:30 p.m.

Residents voted in favor of the $221,918,299 spending plan by a margin of 1573-710.

"It was a wonderful collaboration effort of the Board of Education and administration," Fallon said.

The proposed budget represents a  and a 2.33 tax levy tax hike, which stays within the state's limit.

Frank Grimaldi and James Ptucha ran unopposed to the Half Hollow Hills school board, and were re-elected to their open trustee seats. Each will serve a term of three years.

Grimaldi received 1,743 votes and Ptucha earned 1,622.

"The turnout was especially good considering it was an uncontested school board race," added Board of Education President Jeanine Bottenus.

Despite the tax levy cap, schools in Half Hollow Hills will be spared the severe instructional and program cuts that have inflicted several other Long Island districts. All school buildings will remain open and the district will continue to provide the same level of instruction as it has, Superintendent Kelly Fallon said.

However cuts do include 37 teaching positions, 14 of which are being , and 30 other staff members including 10 paraprofessionals, 10 monitors and six clerical workers. Teacher salaries will increase 3 percent and there is a step increase of about 2.46 percent.

Other cuts include the printing of a district calendar, the combined middle school musical, a variety of BOCES programs and elementary level student supplies. Additional reductions will be seen in the district’s extracurricular activity clubs, the athletic department and the purchasing of textbooks and district equipment. 

School taxes paid on the average single-family home will increase 2.33 percent, from $9,854 to $10,084 in the Town of Huntington or from $5,736 to $5,870 in the Town of Babylon. The assessed value of the average single-family home is $5,500 in Huntington and $4,184 in Babylon.