Amagansett Voters Say Yes to Tax-Cap-Busting Budget

Amagansett voters passed the school district's $10.47 million budget proposal on Tuesday night, with 63 percent saying yes to the tax-cap-busting spending plan.

The school district needed a supermajority of at least 60 percent voter approval to pass its budget because the associated 3.74-percent tax levy hike was higher than Amagansett's state-imposed limit of .16 percent.

The district achieved the percentage of voter approval that it needed, so school officials expect to maintain all current programs and services next year.

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Eleanor Tritt, the district's superintendent, was at the school, where the vote was held, to hear the result. "We're really delighted and very thankful to the community for supporting the budget so we can maintain our programs for our children," she said.

Tuesday's vote brought out 191 voters, surpassing last year's turnout of 178. 

Kristen V. Peterson and Hank Muchnic, who were running unopposed for two open school board seats, received 151 and 139 votes, respectively.

There were six write-in votes cast, including for Mary Lownes, a former member of the school board, Kieran Brew, and Rona Klopman. Two former candidates for the Republican Party's nomination for president, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, also received one write-in vote each. 

The Amagansett Library budget, a $995,223 proposal, passed 165 to 28. 

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