Herricks School Board Trustee Henry Zanetti announced he would not seek reelectionat the March 5 Board of Education meeting as thedistrict administration presented projected expenses of $149,312,913 for its 2026-2027 budget.

Zanetti will complete his ninth year on the board this summer and said his decision comes in tandem with his wife’s retirement. Trustees and community members extended thanks and well-wishes after his announcement.

“Now that my wife will be around, I’ll need some more time to do things with her,” Zanetti said. “Thank you to all who have come to the meetings over the years, and I thank everybody who trusted me to be in this position.”

The budget presentation included a tentative tax levy increase of 2.12% over the previous levy, below the district’s maximum allowable increase of 2.3%. Herricks has averaged a 1.7% increase over the last 11 years, according toa presentationby Superintendent Tony Sinanis and Assistant Superintendent for Business Lisa Rutkoske.

The projected expenditure is $4,769,703 (3.3%) over last year’s expenditure. Sinanis said the highest contributors to the expenditure column are increased salaries from collective bargaining agreements, higher insurance premiums, transportation costs and increased special education costs.

Rutkoske said payroll accounts for about $1.4 million of the increase. She said benefit costs are increasing as well, which is not unique to Herricks, as insurance rates are growing nationwide.

She said transportation costs are projected to increase as well, as the district’s current contract with transportation vendors will not be renewed. She said the district will have to shop for a new contract and anticipates an increase of about $1 million.

Rutkoske said the district has purchased buses for the 2025-2026 year, which will offset the burden on next year’s budget and also has an in-house transportation team. She said the district will conduct a study of its electric vehicles to monitor which purchases may be needed in the future.

“We are seeing an increase in our special education population,” Rutkoske said. “That is for next year, roughly a $1.2 million increase.”

Budget approval and board candidates will be determined in theMay 19 district election.

Source: LI Press