Voters in the Locust Valley Central School District approved the district’s revised $99.99 million budget proposal Tuesday night, reversing the outcome of last month’s budget vote and allowing district officials to move forward with planned spending, capital improvements and educational programs for the 2026-27 school year.
The revised budget passed by a vote of 1,407 to 874.
The spending plan is approximately 1.73 percent larger than the current year’s budget and includes a 1.78 percent tax levy increase. District officials reduced spending by roughly $286,000 from the proposal voters rejected in May and lowered the tax levy increase by less than half a percent.
"I just want to say a quick thank you to everyone who put so much time into this reboot," Trustee Lindsay Fox said. "It was a lot of time, and I'm very grateful for everything you guys did to help us get to this place."
School officials had previously said the revised proposal was designed to respond to community concerns while preserving academic programs, extracurricular activities and safety initiatives.
The budget maintains a planned $2.5 million transfer to capital funds that will be used for infrastructure and security improvements, including upgrades to building doors and locking systems.
"Thank you to everyone in the community who got out to vote this evening, and to show their commitment to our schools and our children," Board President George Vasiliou said. "This was an entire community effort, and frankly the vote of 1,407 is a resounding message to our community."
Had the proposal failed, state law would have required the district to adopt a contingency budget, freezing the tax levy at its current level and restricting spending on a variety of programs and services.
District officials previously warned that a contingency budget could have resulted in the elimination of athletics, school clubs, before-school band and orchestra programs, late buses, overnight and international field trips, driver education, the after-school EMT program, summer academic intervention services and planned weight room upgrades.
The approved budget will take effect July 1, marking the start of the district’s 2026-27 fiscal year.
