Residents in the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District will be voting on the district’s $46.6 million budget, one trustee seat and the $244.7 million Sewanhaka Central High School District budget on May 16.

Also on the ballot is the $3 million Hillside Public Library budget and two propositions for New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Sewanhaka. 

Incumbent board President James Reddan is running unopposed for a fourth term that runs for three years. 

Reddan currently serves as one of two district liaisons on the Sewanhaka Board of Education.

The district budget for the 2023-2024 school year has an increase of $2.4 million, or 5.4% over the current budget. 

The largest increases in expenditures came in the categories of salaries and benefits, with spending on textbooks and equipment actually decreasing relative to the previous year.

Despite the growth in the size of the budget, the tax levy will remain flat for the 2023-24 year, largely due to an increase in state aid of $1.8 million.

Based on district enrollment numbers from the 2022-2023 school year, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park is spending $28,519.34 per pupil according to the proposed budget.

Budget highlights include a school psychologist, speech therapist and a coach for math and science, among other things.

A special education class, library media center and innovation labs are also included in the budget.

Facility improvements include new basketball hoops, flooring in libraries, new gymnasium padding at Hillside Grade School and Manor Oaks School and repairing the padding at Garden City Park School. 

New Hyde Park-Garden City Park’s ballot proposition is to expend $10.3 million for districtwide electrical upgrades and adding air conditioning. The project would be fully funded by the capital reserve with no additional cost to taxpayers. 

Sewanhaka’s budget is a $17.3 million, or 7.63%, increase budget-to-budget from the current one of $227,351,685.

The tax levy increases by 2.33% from the current year, which falls under the 2.59% allowable growth factor, which is determined by the state.

Based on district enrollment numbers from the 2022-2023 school year, Sewanhaka is spending $31,491.82 per pupil according to the proposed budget.

State aid accounts for 82.5% of the $17.3 million increase in revenue, totaling $72.2 million, a $14.3 million increase from the current year.

Administration costs in the budget, a total of $29,463,085, are increased by 3.23% from the current year while program and capital costs have increased by 7.94% and 10.34%, respectively.

The budget presentation from the March Board of Education meeting included a 4.39% and 7.75% increase for the administrative and capital parts of the budget, respectively.

Sewanhaka’s ballot proposition would allow the district to expend $4.25 million from the capital reserve to upgrade cafeterias and kitchens at all four high schools except Sewanhaka, which recently had them done, expanding the career and technical education program facility and general interior upgrades.

Floral Park Memorial High School is set to have two exterior doors replaced, auditorium upgrades for light and sound, boys’ locker room floor and locker replacement and the re-painting of the gymnasium for a total cost of $376,488.

Frank Carey High School capital projects include two exterior door replacements, auditorium light and sound system replacements, window glazing and steam trap replacements and a concrete sidewalk replacement on the west side of the building for $337,932.

New Hyde Park Memorial High School’s upgrades include replacing the exterior groundskeeper door, auditorium light and sound replacements and a concrete sidewalk replacement on the south side for a total of $303,345.

Sewanhaka High School is set to receive restoration to its clock tower, masonry repairs, new interior doors in both locker rooms, auditorium light and sound upgrades and a pump replacement for $464,940.

Districtwide projects include upgrading security cameras, replacing the roof on the district’s storage building and replacing the small bus lot at the Alva T. Stanforth Sports Complex in Elmont for $652,825.

The Hillside Public Library’s $2,992,975 budget would reflect no increase in library taxes. 

Voting for New Hyde Park-Garden City Park will be held on Tuesday, May 16 at Michael J. Tully Park from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.