Voters in the Mahopac school district overwhelmingly approved a $145.1 million school budget for 2025-26 during a June 17 re-vote, after a similar spending plan was defeated by fewer than 60 votes.
The difference: the revised spending plan tapped extra state aid to avoid a tax levy increase. The original spending plan, crafted prior to state aid details being approved as part of the state budget, sought a 1% tax levy hike.
Mahopac was the only school district in the Lower Hudson Valley to see its budget defeated on May 20.
What happened in May vs. June?
The original budget plan was defeated in a 1,248-1,189 vote.
The June 17 vote was 1,498-610, winning more than 71% approval.
Turnout for the May 20 vote was 2,390 voters; on June 17, 2,108 cast ballots.
Two other propositions were on the May ballot:
The proposition to establish a capital reserve fund was not put up for a re-vote.
The May 20 vote also brought changes to the school board: Kyle Potter and Lucy Massafra were voted on, and incumbent Nicole Iacono was re-elected; Vincent Furfaro and Adam Savino ran again for their seats but lost.
Mahopac schools serve children in portions of the towns of Carmel and Putnam Valley.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Voters OK Mahopac schools’ revised budget plan with no tax levy increase
Reporting by Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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