Reminder: Tomorrow, May 18, is the SCHOOL BUDGET and BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE vote.

Polls are open 7 a.m.–9 p.m. for in-person voting. If you live in Tarrytown, you vote in the auditorium at Washington Irving School. Sleepy Hollow residents vote in the cafeteria at W. L. Morse School. Eligible voters may also vote absentee if they submit an absentee ballot application to District Clerk Nelly Valentin by Monday, May 17, and personally pick up the ballot. Please call Ms. Valentin for more information: (914) 332-6241.

Information regarding the budget, including a sample ballot and an FAQ, can be found here: https://www.tufsd.org/cms/lib/NY02205629/Centricity/Domain/3197/2021-2022%20Budget%20Book%20Revised%20Final.pdf

It is very important parents and guardians cast their vote not only on the budget but also on the added propositions. One proposition authorizes the district to purchase new buses and other vehicles as part of a multi-year project to slowly replace our aging fleet of buses. The last proposition would drop the transportation eligibility distances for students in grades 3–5 to 0.8 miles from school to 0.3 miles from school. This change would align students Pre-K to 5 in the distance they must live from their school before they are eligible for transportation. A significant number of Washington Irving students experienced difficulty getting to school this year when the district did not have resources to transport them. The proposition would make about 250 additional students eligible for transport to WI at the estimated annual cost of $150,000.

The proposed budget includes reduction of eight staff and all covid-specific hires. Most programs, including FLES, remain intact. Tarrytown residents would see a 0.12% tax rate increase, and Sleepy Hollow residents would see a tax rate increase of 2.32%.

If the budget fails and the district proposes a revised budget, the revised budget would cut materials, faculty and/or services.

Three candidates are running for three open trustee positions: Michelle DeFilippis (incumbent), Krista Barron and Cecelia Gordon.

Eligible voters are U.S. citizens who are 18 years of age or older and who have lived in Westchester County for at least 30 days prior to May 18. You must be registered with the Westchester County Board of Elections by May 13. (You can do so online via the DMV: https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application )