East Rockaway school budget passes

Residents in the East Rockaway School District said “yes” the second time around with a resounding 990 to 548 in a vote held at the high school on Tuesday.

“I thank the community for coming out to support the schools,” said East Rockaway School Superintendent, Dr. Roseanne Melucci. “We really appreciate it. I also want to thank the PTA for getting the vote out, as well as the community stakeholders.”

After residents voted down the original proposal of $33,450,435 million with a vote of 624 to 597 on May 18, officials were able to shave $113,000 off before presenting a second proposal.

The new spending plan amount was made possible with help from the East Rockaway Teachers Association, who offered to increase their out-of-pocket contributions for health insurance, said the school district’s Director of Finance and Operations Marcy Tannenbaum.

The new budget proposal reduces the first-proposed budget-to-budget increase of 2.19 percent — the smallest in nine years — to an even tighter 1.84 percent increase.

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