In an echo of last year, the West Hempstead Union Free School District’s $74,125,176 budget will go into effect for the coming year after passing in a revote, 1989-1670. The campaigns for and against the budget were perhaps the most contentious in recent memory after the board declined to adjust the budget, which represents a 4.2% spending increase, funded by a property-tax hike of 1.99%. The first vote on May 16 saw 1,370 residents opposed and 1,169 in favor.
Critics complained that the budget fails to account for a dwindling student body and only adds to a growing reserve fund, while supporters say the increase is required due to fixed and rising operating costs. The turnout was higher than the previous vote, though at 28% still far shy of the 13,000 eligible voters.
Last year the budget was passed 1,239 to 1,065 on a revote but only after cuts that amounted to a 1.5% increase in school property taxes, down from of 2.14%.
In response to the ‘Yes’ vote approval, The District released the following statement: “The district would like to thank all residents who participated in the budget revote and the Echo for providing us with another avenue to share budget information with the broader West Hempstead community. We appreciate the community’s support so that we can continue to provide opportunities for all West Hempstead students. We wish the entire school community a wonderful end to the school year!”
“Congratulations to the school board for passing the budget,” said Moshe Hill, who was active in the campaign to vote no. “Although our effort lost, I’m invigorated with the number of people that came out to vote. Community engagement is of utmost importance.”
In a statement on its web site, the school district said, “We appreciate the community’s support so that we can continue to provide opportunities for all West Hempstead students. We wish all students, staff and the entire school community a wonderful end to the school year!”
In a statement to Echo, Hill, who is an organizer of the reform-minded group Friends of the West Hempstead School District, struck a conciliatory tone, saying “as someone born and raised in West Hempstead and moved here with my family, I know there is far more that unites than divides us. I look forward to continued collaboration and cooperation between the district and the community that it serves.”
The most recent school election, in which the budget was voted down, saw a second board member elected who favors cutting the budget. David Lazar joins Burt Blass, elected last year, in questioning the rising costs and calling for reform. The budget takes effect July 1.
“I would like to thank the 3,700 people that came out to vote today,” Lazar said in a written statement. “Voting is important for everyone to do, to make sure they are heard. I would like to remind everyone that although there were 2,000 votes “yes” and 1700 votes “no” the division in this community is really with the other over 10,000 who did not vote. I hope over the next year both sides can come together and work for the betterment of the community.”
West Hempstead and Wainscott, near East Hampton in Suffolk County, were the only two Long Island districts to reject the school budget on May 16. Voters in that district stuck to their guns in the revote, with a slightly trimmed budget failing to gain a required 60% majority, News12 reported.
For more details on the budget particulars and the arguments for the increase, see Echo’s extensive video interview with School Board President Karen Brohm and Assistant Superintendant Joel Press.
