Voters in nine Long Island school districts, all in Suffolk County, will be asked to pierce the state-imposed tax cap this year during upcoming school budget votes.

It's the largest number of districts attempting to exceed the cap since it was implemented.

In Greenport, the district is seeking an 8.5 percent increase. Officials say that the district's enrollment is steadily increasing, so it will need to rehire reading and special-education teachers whose jobs it had previously eliminated.

"The budget we're proposing is a responsible budget," says Superintendent Dave Gamberg. "It is not luxurious. It looks to make restorations to positions that had been in the district years ago."

The tax cap is based on the rate of inflation, so this year, schools could only increase their budgets slightly above one-tenth of a percent.

The other districts seeking to exceed the cap are Amagansett, Bridgehampton, East Quogue, Elwood, Harborfields, Islip, Shelter Island and Tuckahoe.

To pierce the state's budget cap, a district needs 60 percent of its voters to grant approval.