West Hempstead budget approved; Rilling, Mariano, Brohm win

West Hempstead residents voted in favor of the district's $55.2 million 2012-13 school budget by a wide margin - 1,027 'yes' votes to 650 'no' votes - on Tuesday. The plan is an increase of more than $700,000, or 1.46 percent, over the current budget. The tax levy increase is 2.58 percent, which falls below the cap implemented by New York state.

Board of Education incumbents Carole Rilling and James Mariano were re-elected to seventh terms on the board. Rilling defeated challenger Perry Fogg, 911 votes to 655 votes, and Mariano defeated opponent William Signorile, 990 votes to 519 votes.

Karen Brohm defeated Dennis Walsh, 1,110 votes to 468 votes, for the third seat on the board, which was occupied by Vincent Trocchia, who did not run for the seat.