Taxpayers across Rockland County went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots on school budgets and vote in board elections in their districts.

Residents in North Rockland passed a $188 million budget, with one of the highest tax increases in the region at nearly 5 percent. This is the third straight year the North Rockland district has bumped taxes up and laid off staff following the closing of the Mirant Power Plant, which resulted in $18 million in lost revenue.

Poll workers in Stony Point say voter apathy was apparent this year. At times, there were more poll workers than voters at the Farley Middle School.

School budgets have also passed in Lakeland, Rye, Scarsdale, Newburgh, Greenburgh, Bedford, Pelham and Highland Falls, which produced a 16.53 percent property tax hike. The Rye tax increase was a mere 1.7 percent, which is fairly low compared with other districts.

In many districts that cross town lines, the tax changes may vary. Part of the Bedford district will see a 3.25 percent tax cut, while in other parts of the district, taxes will go up less than 1 percent.

Hudson Valley School Vote '09 Results