This past Tuesday the Ellenville School District Budget was approved by a vote of 483 to 257. The Pine Bush School District Budget also passed by 1415 to 749. In both cases there will be additional votes from written ballots so these results are still provisional.

The biggest single difference between this year and last was the decrease in the "No" vote in Pine Bush, which last year reached 1,420. This year, however, the budget managed to pass in Walker Valley, by 281 to 207. In past budget votes, Walker Valley has often voted against passage.

In Ellenville, the decline in voter numbers that has been ongoing for some years continues.

The candidates standing for re-election received strong support from those who did vote. In the Ellenville District, Iris Friedman garnered 593 votes. In Pine Bush, Eric Meier polled 1,493, and Roseanne Sullivan received 1,386.

The new candidates in Ellenville did well too. Wayne Storey received 548 and Maxine Chapin 540. Francis Gurgui's candidacy was not as well received, however, and he polled just 265 votes.

There were no ballot initiatives in either district this year to distract attention from the main issue.

Roseanne Sullivan, while elated by her reelection, observed that "Bringing in Phil Steinberg was a very good move by this board. He's done a great job on the budget and kept tax increases very low. I think that's part of the story here."

In both districts, the ability of the administrations to keep tax increases below 3% — in Pine Bush's case to a mere 2.49% increase of the tax rate — may have contributed to the relative ease of the budget's passage by the voters. This was the smallest tax increase in twenty years in Pine Bush. In Ellenville, there has been a concerted effort over the past decade to keep tax increases low. That too, may have contributed to the light turnout at the poll.

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