Budget, School Board Votes: What You Need to Know

Budget votes and school board elections are taking place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday (May 21).

Here's what you need to know if you're a resident in the area.

Bedford Central School District 

• The budget is $125,057,000, includes a tax levy increase of 3.37 percent and project tax rate hikes of 4.56 for Bedford, 0.68 percent from Mount Kisco, 2.30 percent for New Castle, 5.51 percent for North Castle and 3.07 percent for Pound Ridge. It also includes 19.5 job cuts. 
• Three school board candidates are each running uncontested: incumbents Jennifer Gerken and Suzanne Grant and challenger Michael Solomon. Profiles are available here.
  
• Voters should head to the elementary school  Bedford Hills, Bedford Village, Mount Kisco, Pound Ridge, West Patent) that serves their attendance area to cast a ballot.

• The $114,879,543-budget a 1.34-percent tax levy increase, which comes under the property tax cap. The cap is typically thought of as a 2-percent hold, but the actual number varies by district. For Katonah-Lewisboro, it's 1.53. 
  
• It represents a hike of 1.67 percent from last year's spending plan, and it carries staff reductions.
• There are three trustee vacancies for the board of education. Patch spokes with each of the four candidates (click on the link for a profile): Jeff Holbrook, Mark Lipton, Richard Stone, Peter Treyz.
• Polls are open at each elementary school: Increase Miller, Katonah, Lewisboro, Meadow Pond.