Franklin Square School District
*Pass 723
Fail 611
Sewanhaka Central High School District
*Pass 2,682
Fail 2,418
VS Central High School District
*Pass 2,625
Fail 1,300
Valley Stream District 13
*Pass 1,344
Fail 817
2004 school budget results:
Elmont School District
*Pass 935
Fail 817
Franklin Square School District
*Pass 786
Fail 779
Sewanhaka Central High School District
Pass 2,495
*Fail 2,892
VS Central High School District
*Pass 2,046
Fail 1,824
Valley Stream District 13
Pass 1,030
*Fail 1,077
Islandwide budget revolt bites Sewanhaka
Elmont, FS pass; Ferrigno wins seat by one vote
by Jerry Burke
Who says every vote doesn't count?
Voters in Franklin Square and Elmont came out in slightly-below-average numbers last Tuesday to decide on the 2004-05 budgets and a slew of contested board seats. While the Elmont and Franklin Square elementary school budgets passed, voters in the Sewanhaka Central High School District rejected its $119,145,556 budget proposal by a wide margin -- a count of 2,892 opposed to 2,495 votes in favor.
"I voted for the elementary school budget, but not for Sewanhaka's," said one voter, who asked that her name not be used, as she came out of the polling location at John Street School. "It's just too much to pay, and I don't think Carey [High School] gets enough of the money."
The failed high school budget proposal counted only Elmont as a supporter, with voters there approving the measure by an 853-to-775 margin. The other three components of Sewanhaka, Franklin Square, Floral Park-Bellrose and New Hyde Park-Garden City Park, all gave it a thumbs down.
Franklin Square, which passed its $25.7 million elementary-school budget by a razor-thin seven-vote margin, 786 to 779, said no to the high school budget by a vote of 715 to 623. The New Hyde Park-Garden City Park voters, who also voted down their elementary school budget, voted 761 to 669 against the Sewanhaka proposal.
The vote in Floral Park-Bellrose was even more overwhelming against it, with 350 in favor and 561 opposed. They, too, rejected their elementary budget.
A district spokesperson for Sewanhaka said that "everyone was disappointed" by the outcome of the vote, and that the Sewanhaka Board of Education was scheduled to meet on Tuesday night, May 25, after the Herald went to press. They planned to discuss the district's options, including a possible modification of the budget and whether to schedule a revote in June.
The Elmont Elementary School Budget of $54.97 million passed with some breathing room, 935 votes to 817.
In Valley Stream #13, the double-digit increase in the tax levy appears to have paved the way for a 1,077-to-1,030 defeat. It was very close, so that does mean there is support for the programs, said Dr. Liz Lison, District 13-s superintendent of schools. While there is a lot of support, there was a message sent [and] we-re going to be exploring that.
Voters also defeated District 13-s transportation proposal. Of the 2,149 ballots cast, 50.5 percent were against changing the current transportation eligibility requirements. Students in kindergarten through third grade are eligible to be bused if they live more than a half mile from their school. The proposal called for the mileage requirement to be increased to one mile.
The District #13 budget revote has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 15. The Valley Stream Central High School District budget of $75.99 million passed districtwide -- despite 53.2 percent of District 13 voters voting against it -- with 2,046 votes in favor to 1,823 opposed.
Other local budget results included a six-vote loss in West Hempstead and a 10-vote loss in Oceanside. Malverne passed its budget by only 31 votes.
Elmont board races close
In Elmont's board races, incumbent Robert Nori won re-election over challenger Patrick Nicolosi by a 971-to-929 margin. Challenger Pamela Monteverde defeated four-term incumbent Carl Termini 1,013 votes to 910.
The third seat was the closest of calls. Incumbent Lorraine Ferrigno clung to a one-vote lead over challenger Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert, 973 to 972.
Things were a little easier to call in the Franklin Square board races. In the board seat left open by the retiring Ken Antoncich, John Randazzo defeated Alan Lahti, 1,040 to 346. And incumbent Joseph Armocida defeated challenger Margaret Murphy, 754 to 600.
