Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: March 27, 2026

DO EDUCATORS EVER LEARN?

To the Editor:

According to Newsday, out of all of the school districts on Long Island, only four are attempting to exceed the CAP in taxes for their school districts. Shelter Island is one of the four and it is exceeding the CAP by the largest projected amount, asking for a 7% increase in school taxes.

Our Superintendent was quoted in the article that reinstating a program for 3-year-olds was one of the reasons for asking to exceed the CAP.  In effect, he was asking all taxpayers to pay for free child care for the parents of these 3-year-olds. 

Last year the same attempt was made to exceed the CAP and it failed! When the budget was reduced to under the CAP, it passed. I thought the lesson was learned.

The Superintendent was quoted as saying there are 165 students in the district.  The proposed budget is $17 million. That translates to $75,000 per student annually!

Last year I voted against the budget that exceeded the CAP and for the budget that was under the CAP.  I will do the same this year and urge other taxpayers to do the same.

BOB FREDERICKS, Shelter Island

Editor’s Note:

Information provided to the public at the most recent School District budget workshop includes the following information: The district projects 185 students in the district in September; the projected budget is $13.7 million, representing a 3.15% increase; and the current tax levy is $12.6 million, a 6.9% increase. Shelter Island’s cost per pupil is the ninth lowest out of 21 districts on the East End.