New Hyde Park-Garden City Park, Herricks 2013-14 Budgets All Pass

Voters in the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park, Sewanhaka and Herricks School Districts all passed their 2013-14 school budgets Tuesday night, many by wide majorities.

In New Hyde Park-Garden City Park, voters chose to approve the budget 871-517 as well as pass a capital reserve fund to spend up to $400,000 for security upgrades to the school buildings by a 851-454 margin.

The 2013-14 budget toaled $35,525,755, a 2.99 percent increase, while the levy will total $29,055,489, a 3.22 percent increase.

Voters also gave their approval to the Sewanhaka Central High School District 798-494, which had an overall passage of 3,828-2,207. The Sewanhaka budget for 2013-14 totaled $171,785,427, a 2.84 percent hike from 2012-13, and a $133,822,713 levy, a 3.23 percent hike.

Ernest Gentile and Joan Romagnoli each ran uncontested and will receive a new term on the board of education, garnering 908 and 913 votes, respectively. Newcomer Tara Notine received 901 votes.

The contested seat of outgoing board vice-president Joseph Bongiorno will go to Jennifer Kerrane, who received 619 votes against the 547 received by Garden City Park resident James Reddan.

The total number of votes cast in the election including absentees was 1,508.

In Herricks, the $104,619,373 budget for 2013-14 passed 1,510-943, or a 61.56 percentage majority. It represents a 3.19 percent increase over 2012-13 and the $92,248,889 levy is a 3.15 percent hike in the levy.

“This is the widest margin that I can recall,” Herricks Superintendent Dr. John Bierwirth said looking over the numbers. “I think that people have noticed that the board, even if it meant making serious cuts, has really tried to be responsible and live within the parameters established by the state despite huge increases in pension costs. If you asked any of us four years ago whether we could cut 100 positions and still be functioning at a very, very high level, I don’t think anybody would have said ‘yes,’ so people have noticed that the board has made the cuts, lived within the cap and kept the district functioning at a very high level – not at the same level as before, that’s not the same thing – but functioning at a very highly effective, highly competitive level.”

Lone trustee candidate Juleigh Chin ran unopposed for a seat on the board of education that was being vacated by Dr. Sanjay Jain. She received a stunning 1,691 votes, more than those who had voted in favor of the budget.

“I don’t know,” Chin said when asked how the figure was possible. “I’m just glad I got more than one vote because that would have showed that I voted for myself; that might have been it. I’m super excited, the new adventure that I’ll be embarking on, I think that we have a great group of people now, I think we’re going to have teamwork going and I’m hopeful for what the future will bring and what I can bring to the future here at Herricks as well.”

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