At the Polls: Residents Hoping to Avoid Contingency

For the second time in just over a month, Mount Sinai School District residents headed to the polls to vote on a budget for the 2012-13' school year.

With the original tax cap-piercing budget failing to receive supermajority approval, concerned community members flocked to the polls hoping to avoid another failed budget, which would lead to contingency for the district.

A resident for 14 years, Joe Rutolph thinks it's imperative this budget passes to avoid additional cuts, but he wasn't surprised the first one failed.

"We knew it was going to be close," he said. "Getting 60-percent of anyone to vote either way is a lot to get, and I think it was a crapshoot so to speak. We were hoping it would pass but certainly you could understand for some of the older folks who don’t have kids in school, the amount of money that we pay in taxes is high, you could see both sides.

"If this one doesn’t pass the amount of cuts that will take place to all the programs, it will be just too deep."

Maureen and Jim Clark currently don't have children in the district, yet still support the proposed budget.

"We are very much pro education, so we supported it the last time even with the larger increase to try to maintain programs and we supported it now," Jim Clark said.

"It is a very fine school district," Maureen added. "It’s produced some wonderful students and you have to give what you can to keep it going like that."

With 20 years in Mount Sinai under her belt, Laura Williams, a teacher at another district on the island, is also crossing her fingers that contingency won't be needed.

"Yes, it is imperative this passes," she said.  "I have two in high school for next year, so I think it should pass, without a doubt."

Some were surprised that it has gone this far, and the district is hoping the support is enough to get an already lower budget approved.

Polls remain open in the Elementary School gymnasium until 9 p.m. Tuesday. Stay tuned to Patch for breaking results later in the evening.