SCHOOL BUDGET RESULTS _________________ BALDWIN ________________
HERALD
xxx school district
√ PASSED 0 VOTES
For more school election results information, H.S. senior earns go to liherald.com/xxx Another year for
Memorial Day Parade returns Page 3 Vol. 33 No. 21
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MAY 21 - 27, 2026
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SCHOOL BUDGET RESULTS
Baldwin voters FAILED backXschool, library budgets xxx school district
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By AllYSoN FERRARI aferrari@liherald.com
Maureen Lennon/Herald
‘Run like a Mother’ at Baldwin Park Baldwin’s ‘Run Like a Mother’ 5K brought together dozens of families to support the strongest women they know: their mom. Above, Kamdyn Brown, Sary So, Chanel Hollingsworth and Kavita Dharmanand helped give out T-shirt’s at the check in table.
LIRR strike ends after tentative deal By AllYSoN FERRARI & BRIAN KACHARABA of the Herald
The three-day Long Island Rail Road strike ended late Monday after five unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a tentative agreement following several days of negotiations, officials announced at an evening news conference. Union and MTA representatives announced the deal after negotiations resumed in the afternoon and continued into the night, ending the work stoppage that had halted service and caused widespread travel disruptions across Long Island and in New York City. “We have good news tonight,” Kevin Sexton, vice president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and spokesman for the Long Island Railroad Bargaining Coalition, said. “We’re pleased to announce that the parties
have reached an agreement.” The shutdown began after five railroad unions went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Saturday following the expiration of a federally mandated cooling-off period. The strike affected unions representing signalmen, electricians, clerks, machinists and locomotive engineers, impacting thousands of railroad workers and hundreds of thousands of daily riders. By Monday morning, Baldwin commuters who typically rely on the LIRR station at Sunrise Highway and Grand Avenue to reach New York City were turning to remote work, shuttle buses, carpools, rideshares and longer drives. For some Baldwin riders, the strike created immediate financial concerns as the workweek began. Before the agreement was announced, Julie Rosado, of Baldwin, said the strike would cause Continued on page 6
Baldwin Union Free School District voters approved a nearly $180 million budget for the 2026-27 school year Tuesday, while also passing the district’s library budget and two reservefunded propositions. The school budget passed by a vote of 694 to 261, according to results released by the district. The spending plan represents a $7.1 million, or 4.12 percent, increase over the current year’s budget. The approved budget carries a 3.21 percent tax levy increase, equal to the district’s allowable limit under the state’s tax cap formula. The levy will total about $112.9 million, an increase of roughly $3.5 million from the current year. Voters also approved the Baldwin Public Library budget, 730 to 223. All four propositions on the ballot passed, including the school district budget, the library budget, the use of capital reserve funds and the use of technology reserve funds. District officials said more than 75 percent of the school budget goes toward programs, including academics, athletics,
arts and technology. The spending plan maintains and expands offerings such as new academic courses, elementary enrichment, middle school athletics, experiential learning, instructional technology, universal prekindergarten, college-credit courses, arts programming, wellness initiatives and family engagement. The reserve-funded propositions will not affect the tax levy. Voters authorized the district to use up to $8.3 million from its Capital Reserve Fund for upgrades to elementary school kitchens and cafeterias, and up to $475,000 from its Technology Reserve Fund for Chromebooks, accessories, charging equipment and updated interactive classroom boards. Board President Pamela Green and Trustee Katrina Smith were both re-elected in an uncontested race. Because two seats were on the ballot, the candidate with the most votes was elected to a full three-year ter m, running from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029. The second-highest vote-getter was elected to fill the balance of an unexpired term, running from May 19, 2026, to June 30, 2027.