South Country School District lays out new budget plan ahead of re-vote
The new proposal reduces the budget from $150 million to $144 million and lowers the proposed tax levy increase from 13.5% to 5.5%.
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Higher taxes, job cuts and no school sports – that’s just some of what’s on the line in one Suffolk school district’s budget re-vote process.
The South Country School District's Board of Education discussed its revised plan at a meeting Tuesday night.
As News 12 has reported, the revised proposal comes after their original budget was voted down last month.
The new plan reduces the budget from $150 million to $144 million and lowers the proposed tax levy increase from 13.5% to 5.5%, according to the board.
Those savings come with the elimination of 34 full-time positions, on top of the 60 cut in the first proposal, and doing away with elective courses at the high school.
If the second vote fails again, district officials say they will be in even more trouble.
"It'll take 3 to 5 years to rebuild, and we will be at the mercy of guidelines from New York State," said John Dolan, Interim Superintendent of Schools.
All sports would have to be canceled if the re-vote does not pass and the district is forced to implement the contingency budget.
Residents will vote on the new plan next Tuesday.
