Mineola Residents Approve 2011-12 School Budget

Mineola Board President had a good day Tuesday. A friend had brought him a racing hat from the recent race at Dover International Speedway bearing the signatures of numerous drivers, the had passed and he had just been reelected to another 3 year term on the Board of Education.

“I should have brought pots and pans like New Year’s Eve!” resident Linda Ramos exclaimed as she walked through the hall.

“They voted the bums in,” the current board president said smiling after the results were announced at the . Voters also returned fellow incumbent trustee to the board with 1,662 votes over challengers , who had 1,022 votes, and who received 860. Hale had 1,647 votes in his favor.

“It just shows that the district believes in what we do,” Hale said. “We believe in advocates, we don’t believe in hypocrites. It’s a great thing, we’re gonna move forward now, we’re moving into the future, things are going to be great for Mineola. Tonight, it’s a victory. A lot of hard work went into this. We’re ready to move on Mineola is now ready to move forward into the 21st century.”

Voter turnout was estimated to be “at least double” the amount on a regular budget vote, with a total of 2,827 residents casting ballots despite the rain.

The school budget was approved by a vote of 1,633-1,194, and the changing the distance for busses was also given the green light 1,426-913.

Following the announcement of the results, Superintendent Dr. Michael Nagler expressed his relief at the results and the ending of the 3 year process of .

“We can move forward properly and transition the children properly for next year and the year after,” he said. “I’m very happy. It’s good to know that we’re moving ahead with what we’ve been planning for four months and things aren’t going to change and we know what our projects are, our capital work, and we’re going to get moving on them.”

The 2011-12 budget totals $84,221,638, representing an increase in spending of about $4 million, or a 5.11 percent budget to budget increase. The percentage increase is inflated due to the inclusion of a $2.6 million transfer to capital for the on and , which, if taken out, puts the actual spending increase at about 1.8 percent. The tax levy is set at 2.37 percent higher than last year.

After casting her vote at , board vice-President Christine Napolitano remarked that she had not seen this much enthusiasm regarding the budget vote in quite some time.

Hale agreed, saying “I’ve never seen it (like) this. It was the talk of the town.”

The early morning at Jackson was expected to be heavy, with many residents turning out for special person day. Lines were reported to be out the door. Up at Cross Street in the afternoon many residents were tightlipped, with several saying they voted against the incumbents and the budget.

“I’m just not happy with what’s going on, I just feel like our kids are getting the short end of the stick,” said Gerry Larson, citing her unhappiness with the reconfiguration and the closure of Cross Street as her reason for voting no and for Levitan and Manopella.

“We’ve had the other ones in and they seem to be going along with everything that our superintendent wants and I’m not happy about it,” she said, mentioning that she had also taught the children of both Hale and Hornberger at one time. “I don’t think he’s doing the children any justice. That’s who’s going to get hurt in the end.”

One resident exiting Cross Street said he voted yes “because I think its going to help out the school district itself.” He also cast his ballot for for Hale and Hornberger, citing “years of experience as compared to people that are going up against them with their lack of experience.

A number of seniors said they had voted against the budget, including a couple at Jackson Avenue, citing “excess waste” in the school district. The pair did vote for Hale and Hornberger with the woman saying that “I think Hornberger is the most intelligent person we’ve had on the board in several years.”

Several reports of electioneering were being leveled at the challengers, specifically at the Cross Street School where a Levitan supporter was seen handing out flyers, but who was beyond the 100-ft. marker from the entrance to the polling place. Other residents were also seen handing out flyers on the opposite side of the building entrance.

There had also been widespread speculation that had the challengers won seats on the board they would , keeping the buildings open and adopting a new plan less than two months before the start of school.

“It would have been a lot of turmoil a lot of chaos to just undo 3 years of work, yes,” Hale said. “I could never understand that, the whole feeling of that. The people want what’s best for their children and it just shows tonight.”

Said Nagler: “this board has been adamant that this is the plan. When they put out the , this plan was outlined. The plan was always there. This has been a year in the making and I’m jut happy to see the ending of one chapter and the beginning of the next chapter.”