Three Village residents approve 2022-23 school budget by 66 votes
After turning down last year’s budget, Three Village Central School District residents said “yes” to the 2022-23 budget of $224,060,618.
The votes were close with 2,584 approving the budget and 2,518 voting “no.”
The new budget is $3,798,183 more than last year’s contingency budget of $220,262,435, reflecting a 1.72% increase. The proposed tax levy is $164,954,877.
Four candidates vied for two seats in this year’s race. Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) did not run for reelection after serving on the board since 2008.
Incumbent Vincent Vizzo and his running mate Jennifer Solomon won with 2,715 and 2,650 votes, respectively. Reanna Fulton received 2,283 of the votes and Evan Proios 2,122.
For Vizzo, a 34-year veteran of the school district, it will be his second term on the board. He has been both a teacher and administrator in Three Village and a few years ago retired as principal of R.C. Murphy Jr. High School. As someone who has worked, lived in the district and also raised children in Three Village, he said he decided to run again because the community is “his life.”
In a May 18 email, Vizzo thanked community members for their support.
“I want their children to have the same excellent education that our children had in Three Village schools,” he said. “Once again ‘thank you,’ and I will work my hardest over the next three years.”
He added, “I am excited to be working with my dear former student and good friend Jen. She will be an asset to our board of education. A special thanks to Reanna and Evan for running for the board.”
Solomon, a former graduate of Three Village schools, who is raising four children in the district, ran for the first time. She has worked as a bilingual speech language pathologist in the Riverhead Central School District and is now an administrator in the Riverhead district.
Solomon said she was relieved when she heard she won.
“Last night a majority of voters, not only in Three Village, but across Long Island, affirmed that our public schools belong to all of us,” she said. “Still, there is a lot of work to be done to demonstrate how equitable and inclusive practices support students’ learning outcomes and add value to our school district. I’m looking forward to serving the community, and I am ready to do the work.”
Trustee terms begin July 1 and are for three years.
