Commack School District

	Commack Union Free School District

SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTING
All residents who are citizens of the United States and 18 years of age or older may vote in the annual school district election or special referendum if they are registered on the school district election rolls or hold current registration with Suffolk County Board of Elections and have resided within school district boundaries for 30 days prior to the date of voting. New residents and those who have not voted in a school district election or special referendum for four years prior to the date of any vote must register. Registration dates are published in advance and registration is conducted at a school site centrally located within each of the school election districts. Effective September 1, 1975, any persons registered as a voter with the Suffolk County Board of Elections shall be entitled to vote at all school district meetings and elections without further registration (N.Y.S. Election Law-Section 352). Matters on which approval by district voters is required include the annual school budget, the election of members of the Board of Education, referenda for land acquisition, school construction or renovation, the sale of school property or buildings, and special propositions involving capital expenditures which require the approval of voters.
	The Board of Education is empowered by New York State Law to adopt a contingency budget and establish the necessary tax rate if a regular budget is not approved by district voters. Under contingency the dollar increase in the budget is limited. The Board of Education has wide discretion in determining which items will be eliminated, but cannot exceed the dollar amount imposed by law. The estimated cost of a school district vote is approximately $6,500, which includes the cost of publishing legal notices, printing and postage for voter information material, rental of voting machines, and salaries for election clerks involved in registration and voting at each of the two election districts. No. 1 - Commack High School No. 2 - Commack Middle School

ELIGIBILITY & REGISTRATION
Citizens of the United States who are 18 years of age and have been residents of the Commack School District for 30 days prior to the date of voting, and who are registered on the voter rolls, of either the Commack School District or the Suffolk County Board of Elections, may vote in the annual school district election on Tuesday, May 17, 2005. New residents who will have lived in the district at least 30 days prior to the day of voting and who have not voted in a regular or special school district election, or a general election covered by the Suffolk County Board of Elections in the past four years, must register in order to vote in the annual school district election. Registration is held at the two election districts on May 4 and 10, 2005.
2005 BUDGET VOTE & TRUSTEE ELECTION

March 16, 2005	Budget Work Session, Hubbs Administration Building, 8:30 p.m.
March 31, 2005	Budget Work Session, Hubbs Administration Building, 8:30 p.m.
April 7, 2005	Budget Work Session, Hubbs Administration Building, 8:30 p.m.
April 21, 2005	Budget Adoption Special Meeting
April 28, 2005	Regular Public Meeting at Hubbs Administration Building, 8:30 p.m.
May 5, 2005	BOE and Budget Hearing, Burr Intermediate School, 8:00 p.m.
May 17, 2005	Budget Vote and Trustee Election 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., at Commack High School and Commack Middle School.

THE SCHOOL BUDGET & THE TAX RATE

     The public schools of New York State receive their principal financial support from two sources: a tax at the local level and State aid.
     The amount of State aid which each school district receives is determined by formulas having to do principally with the number of school children in average daily attendance and the value of the district's taxable property.
     The school tax rate is established by subtracting the estimated receipts from State aid and all other sources from the amount which the Board of Education estimates will be needed for the operation of the schools, and then computing the ratio at which real estate of the district would have to be taxed in order to raise the balance.
     The qualified voters of the district are asked to authorize the expenditure of the funds at the annual school district budget vote, which will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2005, 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. at Commack High School for residents north of Jericho Turnpike, and Commack Middle School, for residents south of Jericho Turnpike.

TAX CODE NUMBER - 125

For your New York State Return, The Commack School District Code Number is 125.

It is important that you include this information on your state tax returns. If your return lacks Commack School District's name and code, a large percentage of the income from the district would not be credited to us. If a sizable return lacks this information, it is possible that it could considerably distort the district's income picture, thereby causing the Commack School District to receive less in State Aid than it would normally receive.
In selecting a school district name to enter on your tax return be sure to distinguish between the name of the town in which you reside, the name of the post office which delivers your mail, and the name of the school district in which you reside. If you need help, please call the district at 912-2000 or New York State tax information at (800) 225-5829.