Oysterponds 2025–26 budget vote breakdown

The proposed 2025–26 budget for Oysterponds Union Free School District is $5,841,258, a $205,760 increase from the 2024–25 budget. 

The proposed tax levy is $5,054,743 — a $170,938 or 3.5% increase from last year. It does not pierce the state tax levy cap. 

The estimated tax rate on the proposed budget would increase taxes roughly $11.58 for every $1,000 of assessed value. An average home, assessed at $6,000 would have an estimated increase of $69.48. 

Programming makes up 79.99% or $4,672,518 of the proposed budget. It will maintain the current academic programs offered in the district. 

“I think that Oysterponds has done a great job historically balancing fiscal responsibility and also investing in education for the students in the community,” Superintendent Justin Cobis said.

The district will continue to implement its early elementary reading program from pre-K through second grade. It will also continue to support a science of reading-based approach to literacy in the 2025-26 school year. 

The capital component of the budget accounts for $360,884 or 6.18% of the proposed budget. 

Administrative costs make up $807,856 or 13.83% of the budget. 

Propositions

There are two propositions on the ballot that voters will see — proposition no. 2 and proposition no. 3. Neither of which would be at a cost to taxpayers. 

Proposition no. 2 would authorize the district to fund the district’s repair reserve fund with $175,000 from the district’s 2024–25 unappropriated fund balance to pay for repairs to capital improvements or equipment that are not recurring annually. The proposition also asks voters to support the district’s recommendation to increase the maximum limit of the repair reserve fund from $50,000 to $250,000. 

Proposition no. 3 would establish a $5,000,000 capital reserve fund for building improvements, renovations, technology upgrades and facilities. The funds would be transferred from the district’s current capital reserve fund, with additional funds to be transferred from unassigned fund balance remaining in the general fund beginning with the 2024-25 school year and for each school year for the next 10 years. 

Trustee elections

Three incumbents are up for reelection this year: board president Thomas Stevenson, board member Erin Stanton and board member Miriam Foster. There are no newcomer challengers to their candidacies. 

Mr. Stevenson said he is running for the school board “to continue the district’s great track record of educating our youth while staying fiscally responsible to our taxpayers.” His reelection would mark his fifth term on the board. He has been on the board for 12 years, and served as its president for the last four years. 

“[If reelected], I’d keep working along with my fellow volunteers to provide elected oversight to Oysterponds and help ‘steady the ship’ as we navigate choppy waters,” he said. 

“I thank the community for their support of my candidacy and of the district as a whole,” Mr. Stevenson said. “All the meetings can really add up to a big time commitment but it’s essential to have a board constituted by good people who serve for the ‘right reasons.’”

Ms. Stanton and Ms. Foster did not respond to request for comment at time of press. 

Elected trustees will serve a three-year term starting July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028.

Where to vote

Community members can vote May 20, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Oysterponds School. The Floyd Memorial Library budget vote will also be held at that time. 
For more information about the district budget vote, call the district clerk Linda O’Leary  at 631-323-2410, ext. 101, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or email [email protected].