Community Corner

Voters Head to Polls Tuesday

School, library budgets up for vote. One uncontested school board seat on the ballot.

Voters in the Great Neck School District go to the polls on Tuesday to determine whether to approve the 2013-14 budget.   

Great Neck residents will also elect one candidate on the ballot to serve on the Board of Education. On the ballot is in an uncontested race with Monique Bloom ,who currently serves on the school board, seeking election. 

Appointed in June 2012 after school board member Fran Langsner moved outside the school district, Bloom of Kings Point is seeking running for a seat for the first time. 

The proposed budget of $209 million is a $10 million increase over last year. The increase over this year's budget is 4.85 percent. The increase in the amount to be raised by real property tax is 3.14 percent.

The proposed budget calls for some staff reductions, including 17 teacher positions and 21 teaching assistant, monitors and aides jobs. Strategic personnel reductions will save the district about $2.5 million in 2013-14, according to the school board.

Nearly half of the budget increase is due to higher retirement system contributions, which are required by the New York State Comptroller. Other significant factors are health insurance, Social Security, contractual salary increases, and Medicare reimbursements, according to the school board.

Board of Education President Barbara Berkowitz said in a release, "These are tough times, and we are doing our best to maintain quality education in every way possible." 

In addition, the Great Neck Library’s $8.53 million budget is up for voter approval on Tuesday. Included in the budget is a 1.97 percent tax levy increase. 

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Great Neck South High School and at the E.M. Baker Elementary School.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here