District overview
How South Huntington is funded, who decides, and what is being built
South Huntington is a school district that sets its own tax levy. Seven elected trustees adopt a budget each spring and voters approve it in May. Most of the money comes from local property taxes; the state adds less than the district says it needs, and a state cap limits how fast the levy can grow.
The 2026-27 budget is $227,993,621. Property taxes raise $132,569,124 (about 58%). State aid is an estimated $77,854,497 (about 34%), down 0.17% from the year before. Reserves ($4.29 million) and fund balance ($2.79 million) cover most of the rest.
The district's Foundation Aid is on 'save-harmless': it gets the same dollars as the year before even though the formula would give less. The district says 56% of New York districts are in the same position. The state added only about 1% more aid in the final state budget.
The levy increase for 2026-27 was 2.44% in April, within the state cap. In September a large cut to the Walt Whitman Mall's assessment and payments in lieu of taxes on four parcels cut taxable value to about $40.2 million, so the estimated tax-rate increase rose from about 3% to about 6.4%.
Seven trustees are elected by district voters each May, plus a student ex officio member. Audit, curriculum, facilities, policy and wellness committees only advise; the full board votes at meetings usually held on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
The district reports clean annual audits, an unassigned fund balance at the 4% legal maximum, no layoffs or program cuts in 2026-27, and mostly low-risk internal audit results. A State Comptroller audit of credit cards, however, found weak controls in 2022-23.
Up 2.44% from $222,568,493 in 2025-26.
Up 2.44% from $129,415,032. A lower levy of about $131.3 million was taken up on Sept. 30, 2026 after assessment losses.
Down 0.17% from $77,989,261; district used conservative assumptions.
Versus about 3% (3,162.79 vs 3,069.24 per $1,000) when the budget was adopted. Figure is from the business office presentation in auto-generated captions.
'Roughly 5,600 students' and about 1,200 employees, including about 580 teachers.
Context only: $227,993,621 divided by about 5,600 students. It includes benefits, transportation, debt, capital transfers and BOCES, not just classroom spending.
Derived from $110,998,639 salaries and $57,092,181 benefits in the district's budget brochure, divided by $227,993,621.
About 4% of the next year's budget, the maximum New York allows.
Up from 213 in March; the district was still enrolling.
Five findings; district officials generally disagreed with the recommendations.
Silas Wood changed from the sixth-grade center to a standalone pre-K center for 3- and 4-year-olds with up to 15 classrooms, a second playground, and before- and after-school care run with the community partner SCOPE.
General fund, state pre-K aid ($1.36 million proposed; $10,000 per child rate) and district 'transfer to capital' for the playground
District told the Assemblyman its pre-K aid rate lags comparable districts.
The Memorial building was renovated, mostly by district staff, to house all sixth graders. Courtyards and a veterans plaza are being named for local figures.
Voter-approved capital project (2025) plus annual transfer to capital and donations for the plaza
Courtyard cost $385,000 per May 2026 facilities minutes.
A second turf field (West Hills Field) opened, a TV and media production center is about 90% complete, boilers are being replaced, tennis courts will move, and a traffic signal is planned at West Hills Road and West Hills Court.
Voter-approved capital funding and annual transfer to capital ($6,667,275 in 2026-27)
Turf budget was about $1.5 million; the lowest first bid was $1,642,750.
Stimson Middle School has costed three options to add a ninth period for world language, longer music classes, electives and lunch workshops. The fullest option would add 5.5 teachers.
Not funded; would come from the general fund
Estimated $619,476 a year for the fullest option; about $506,844 and $112,632 for the others.
The district must file a corrective action plan within 90 days of the September 2026 report. The audit committee will review it at a special meeting before it goes to the full board.
No separate funding; staff time
The audit covered 2,878 purchases worth $196,039.
South Huntington
The district's 2026/2027 board calendar lists the budget vote and election for Tuesday, May 18, 2027, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Walt Whitman High School. Which trustee seats are up and the 2027-28 budget amount are not yet published.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
South Huntington · $227,993,621
Voters approved the $227,993,621 budget with a 2.44% tax levy increase, 623 yes to 287 no, as certified by the board on May 19, 2026.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
South Huntington · $600,000
Voters approved reusing up to $600,000 left from the Walt Whitman boiler project for a new boiler at Countrywood Primary Center, 719 yes to 183 no, at no added cost to taxpayers.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
South Huntington
Incumbents Sidney Joyner and Andrew Bronson ran unopposed for two seats and were re-elected, per the board's certification of results.
Official source · verified Oct 20, 2026
Figures marked verified come from the district's own budget slides, brochure, Comptroller report or recorded board meetings (auto-generated captions). Derived figures are marked context. Agendas and approved full-board minutes are kept in the district's BoardDocs system and could not be read for this page, so board actions come from recordings, committee minutes and posted documents.
We read every agenda, packet, recording, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
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