Voters in Lakeland School District Approve $157 Million Budget (Updated)

their ballots on the 2012-2013 Lakeland school district budget today. 

The   was overwhelmingly approved by the voters with a total number of 1,056 votes in support, while 381 voters were against the budget.

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

In Yorktown, the tax rate will rise by 2.1 percent. Outside of Yorktown, the proposed 2012-13 rates vary widely, falling by 0.7 percent in Putnam Valley, for example, while climbing 5.6 percent in Carmel. Elsewhere, rates increased in Cortlandt by 3.2 percent; Somers, 1.7; and Philipstown, 0.4.

Lakeland voters also approved a $1.035 million proposition to let the district buy four 30-passenger bus vans, two Suburban-style bus vans and seven full-size buses. It passed with 1,003 "yes" votes to 469 "no" votes. 

 went to the current school board members – Carol Ann Dobson, James B. Carroll, Jr. and Brian Hugick, who faced opposition from  of Mohegan Lake, an administrator in the East Ramapo schools in Rockland County.

Dobson received 1,205 votes; Carroll received 1,208 votes; Hugick received 1,110 and Rodriguez received 452 votes. 

"We did our part to produce a reasonable budget," Lakeland Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Stone said of why he thinks voters supported the budget. "We did our best to keep our costs and not sacrifice our services."

Editor's note: These number differ slightly from results reported Tuesday night. Those are now the official numbers after the counting of absentee ballots.