By Anthony Rifilato
, an indication that more parents turned out to vote in favor of the proposed spending plan after the current budget was nearly defeated last year.
School officials said that the budget passed by nearly 500 votes, with 1,751 residents voting yes and 1,264 voting no. School taxes on the average home in Baldwin, assessed at $420,000, will rise $28, to $6,752. The passage of the nearly $105.8 million budget also means that all current programs and services in the district will be maintained, which was welcome news to many parents and school officials.
"It provides stability," said Superintendent Dr. Robert Britto. "If we had to go into an austerity budget, it would have potentially had a destabilizing effect on the programs."
The budget passed by only a handful of votes last year, an indication that voters were frustrated with their rising tax bills. The slim margin also compelled school officials to do more to inform residents about the budget this year, by meeting with numerous groups ranging from PTAs to civic associations, among other initiatives.
Voter turnout was higher this year, at 3,200, with 3,015 residents casting their votes for or against the school budget, Britto said. Last year only 2,500 people voted, and, Britto added, last year's slim margin clearly made parents think twice about not voting. "We saw a lot of parents [on voting day] with their children, many more than we saw last year," he said. "We wanted to get the message out to the parents of children. I think there was complacency last year."
A recent study by the Baldwin Educational Assembly showed that overall voter turnout in Baldwin was low last year
(see story, page XX), and recommended that the board do more to get out the vote. School officials said they did just that this year, an initiative that Britto said was reflected in last week's turnout: On May 15, hundreds of residents could be seen waiting on a line that stretched out of the commons area at Baldwin High School.
"I will never vote a school budget down," resident Gail Keener said. "I went to school in Baldwin and I put my eight kids through school in Baldwin. These kids need this budget to be passed."
Resident Daniel Jasmine, a Baldwin resident for more than 12 years, said he wanted to send a message to state lawmakers. "I voted for this budget because I want to show the people in Albany that we here in the Baldwin community care about our children and their future," Jasmine said.
Residents also re-elected school board incumbents James Scannell and Mary Clark to three-year terms. Scannell received 1,993 votes, and Clark 1,628. Challenger Stanley Gittleman got 932 votes, while candidate Ralph Rose garnered 694.
The 2007-08 Baldwin Public Library budget -- totaling $3.6 million -- also passed, with 1,745 votes. Ethell Smith, who ran unopposed for a seat on the library's Board of Trustees, was elected overwhelmingly, receiving 2,096 votes.
Dana Williams contributed to this story. Comments about it? Baldwineditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 207.
