A few minutes after 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, Ellenville Central School District representative Debbie Chase announced that the district's budget passed by a margin of 543 to 236. The $40,518,336 represented a 2.66% increase in the district's tax levy.

In addition, incumbents Reverend Julius Collins, Karen Osterhoudt and Ray Matthews all won reelection to another three-year term. Challengers Francis Gurgui and John Burns received 182 and 338 votes respectively. Osterhoudt received the fewest votes of the incumbents with 443 while Collins received 513. Matthews was the top vote-getter with 681 votes.

The amount of voter participation was down from last year as the total number of voters was less than 800 out of an estimated 6,600 eligible voters.

The voters have spoken in the Pine Bush School District: "It's time for a change." Three challengers swept the PBCSD elections Tuesday night, ousting school board president Virginia Esposito, and incumbent trustee Joseph Zankl. The numbers, unofficial as of election night, speak for themselves.

Challenger James E. Barrett came out on top with 1,839 votes. Following with a close second place was James A. Starr with 1,778. Their running mate for opposition, Alexis Sher Singh, came in third with 1,594. President Esposito got 950, and trustee Zankl came in last with 923.

In addition, the school budget passed, 1,537 for, versus 930 against. $93,216,843 has been earmarked for the 2007-2008 school year, a total increase of 6.97%.

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