Peekskill-Cortlandt Budget Vote and Candidate Guide, 2012

Residents in the Hendrick Hudson school district will have the opportunity to cast their ballots for or against the and for two board member seats.

Under the adopted budget, Hen Hud tax rates would both rise and fall, increasing by about 1.72 percent in Cortlandt while decreasing by 1.66 percent in Peekskill.

Differences in municipal equalization rates and final assessment rolls create wide variations in Hen Hud school tax bills. A $420,000 Cortlandt home, assessed at about $7,700, for example, would face a $106 increase in school taxes for 2012-2013. But in Peekskill, where a $220,000 house would have the same $7,700 assessed value, the homeowner would pay $73 less in school taxes in the coming year.

The proposed budget was creating based on the fact the school district was still in negotiations with the teacher's union. However, the district reached a tentative agreement with the teacher's union around 8 p.m. Monday, May 13. The agreement, if ratified by union members and the school board, would help save six teaching positions originally planned for termination.  The district also expects to restore three positions that were previously full-time as part time positions if the agreement is ratified. Read more . 

Even with the tentative agreement in place, about 20 positions are still planned to be cut with the 2012-2013 budget. Read more on tha

Incumbent school board candidates Mary Pat-Briggi and Laurie Ryan, are running unopposed for their two seats.

There are also two bond propositions on the ballot. Residents will have the opportunity to vote on a $500,000 bond to fix leaking sections of the roofs at B-V Elementary and Hen Hud High School. The other proposition is a $217,000 bond to support the purchase of a wheelchair van, two passenger vans and a Suburban. This needs comes from an increase in special needs students and transportation for them.  

The last item on the ballot will be a vote for or against the Hendrick Hudson Free Library approximately $800,000 budget.

Voting will be held at from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 15.

Residents in the will be voting on the  and . 

The proposed 2012-13 plan re-creates this school year’s spending of more than $157 million but promises to maintain, among other things, class sizes and academic, interscholastic and co-curricular programs.

The sprawling —which touches six towns in two counties—would increase its overall property-tax levy by 1.97 percent, coming in under the state’s new tax-cap restrictions. 

 to read more about the board's adopted budget.

Click on each hyperlinked name to read the Q&A with the four candidates: , , . and 

Residents will have the last word on the budget and board of education candidates when they vote at the  in Mohegan Lake from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Van Cortlandtville Elementary is located across from the Cortlandt Town Center.

Residents in the Peekskill district will have the opportunity to vote on a and elect two candidates to the school board.

The proposed 2012-2013 budget represents a 3.2 percent increase from last year’s budget. It raises the tax levy by 3.3 percent, which is about $6,367 for a home assessed at $10,000. The budget plans to maintain academic programs, athletics and arts and bring some technology updates to the district.

Read a detailed explanation of the 2012-2013 budget from Schools Superintendent James Willis .

Click on each name below to read each candidates’ answers to our questions on the issues:

Voting will be held at Peekskill High School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 15.