SOUTHAMPTON — Voters on Thursday shot down a $110,000 override for funding additional staff and curriculum materials at the William E. Norris School.

The proposed tax levy failed by a 435-350 vote, according to Town Clerk Janine Domina. The override would have funded a special education team leader and math interventionist as well as supplies for the elementary school.

“The school needed the money to fund necessary positions to support the special education staff and properly educate the children,” School Committee Chairwoman Erin Couture wrote in a message. “The unfortunate part is that as the school gets funded less and less, and services suffer, people will stop moving into town and all tax payers will suffer through their property values.”

Couture said the failed vote was a disappointment.

“What amounted to approximately a $50 increase for the average person to fund an extra $100,000 to the school seemed doable and not overly taxing,” she said. “However, it seems apparent that others in town didn’t see it that way.”

The school’s $4 million budget is an 3 percent increase from fiscal 2017. It allows the school to offer the same services as the year prior, but school officials say it lacks money for necessary curriculum and supplies as well as additions to staff to provide a tiered intervention and support structure.

Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.

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