North Fork School districts begin preparing 2023-2024 budgets

Budget season is in full swing for Southold Town’s school districts, with business departments preparing budgets for the 2023-2024 school year and presenting to the school boards of education.

MATTITUCK-CUTCHOGUE

According to the district’s latest budget presentation from March 16, Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District is proposing a budget of $44,016,344, an increase of 2.77% from last year’s budget. The district’s proposal remains 0.41% under the allowed tax cap.

Apart from the budget, there is one other item on the ballot for voters, the proposed expenditure of $4,391,454 from the capital reserve established last May for projects at both the elementary school and the high school. Since the proposed expenditure of those funds comes from the district’s capital reserves it would have no impact on the tax levy for the district.

The funds would go towards recoating and repairing remaining roof sections at the high school, which is slated to cost $2,957,903. They are also proposing to recoat and repair roof sections at Cutchogue East Elementary School, which  is slated to cost $1,433,551.

Last year, voters approved the districts proposed $42.8 million budget. For more information on this year’s proposed budget, visit the school’s website at www.mufsd.com.

Mattituck will hold a budget presentation March 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the high school auditorium, and a final budget proposal and presentation on April 20. The budget vote is Tuesday, May 16, from 3 to 9 p.m. in the auditorium.

SOUTHOLD

Southold’s proposed 2023-2024 expenditure budget is $33,168,000. The proposed tax levy increase is 2.94%, staying under the tax cap of 3.06%.

They are expecting state aid to increase 1.4%, or $27,209, under the proposed budget. The budget-to-budget increase is 2.99%.

Last year voters approved the district’s $32.2 million budget proposal. For more information on this year’s proposed budget visit the school website at southoldufsd.com.

Southold’s board of education will hold a budget meeting April 5 where it is expected they will adopt the budget. The district plans s to have a public hearing on May 3, and the budget vote will be on May 16.

GREENPORT

Greenport is proposing a $23,709,875 budget for the 2023-2024 school year, making the budget-to-budget increase 9.63%. The district tax cap is 8.28%. During his March 21 presentation, district business official Philip Kenter said that the tax cap would normally have been at 3.8% but 4.48% of the tax levy represents the $18 million Capital Improvement Bond passed in 2019.

The district is expecting to receive over $3.5 million in state aid under the proposed budget, a 50% increase from last year.

Last year voters approved the district’s proposed $21.6 million spending plan. For more information on the proposed budget, visit the school website at www.gufsd.com.

Greenport’s next budget presentation will be April 18, when it is expected that the board of education will adopt the proposed budget. The district public hearing is May 9 and the budget vote and election will be May 16.