_________________ Glen COVe ________________
HERALD Blakeman talks county issues
A vision of photos on display
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VOL. 35 NO. 11
MARCH 12 - 18, 2026
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Calls for transparency linger on ICE admired from the outset was the diversity that the city had,” Williams, who moved to the C o n c e r n s a b o u t f e d e r a l community from Baton Rouge, immigration enforcement in La., in 1999, recalled. Glen Cove dominated the pubRecent reports of immigralic comment portion of Tues- tion enforcement activity in the day night’s City Council meet- city have troubled him deeply, ing, with several residents urg- he said. Drawing parallels to ing city leaders to historical injustictake a more active es, he urged local role in supporting officials to consider immigrant commuthe broader moral nity members who implications. they say are “What we are increasingly living dealing with is in fear. making sure that Eight speakers people who were addressed the counnot born in this cil, sharing personcountry are still al experiences, data respected as human and appeals for beings,” Williams local leadership to said. “Glen Cove is respond to the a city that can be an impact of Immigra- THE REV. example that shows tion and Customs ROGER WILLIAMS everyone that that Enforcement activi- First Baptist Church is what we’re all ty in the city. Coun- of Glen Cove about.” cil members lisAnother speaker, tened to the speakNabil Azamy, ers, but did not respond. Under described what he said are New York’s Open Meetings Law, measurable impacts that federthey are not required to. al immigration enforcement The Rev. Roger Williams, of may be having on schools, busiFirst Baptist Church of Glen nesses and public services. Cove, reflected on the values “More than a third of Glen that drew him to the city over Cove’s population is Hispanic,” two decades ago. Azamy said. “Over 40 percent “One of the things that I CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
By ROKSANA AMID
ramid@liherald.com
Courtesy GilL Aassociates Photography
A new year of events by the Glen Cove BID Glen Cove Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck swore in members of the Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District board during the BID’s annual meeting at Tocolo Cantina on March 5.
District faces $4.7M budget gap Declining enrollment affects amount of state aid By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
The Glen Cove City School District is facing a multimillion-dollar budget gap for the upcoming school year, driven by rising costs, declining enrollment and limited increases in state aid, district officials said at a Board of Education budget workshop last week. “As of today, we do not have a balanced budget,” Theresa Kahan, the district’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, said. The district is projecting a gap of roughly $4.7 million for the 2026-27 school year, Kahn said, with expenses expected to exceed revenues unless adjustments are made in the coming weeks. “There are several factors that contribute to this shortfall,” she said, “including the rate of
inflation, rising costs for items such as health insurance, special-education services and transportation, limited foundation aid increases, and declining enrollment.” District officials presented updated state aid projections during the March 4 workshop. According to Kahan, the district now expects a state aid increase of just under $1.15 million — less than the nearly $1.28 million increase estimated at the district’s budget presentation on Feb. 11. Kahan noted that the figures are based on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s preliminary state budget, and could change. Final state aid totals will not be confirmed until the state adopts its spending plan, which is expected in April. The district is proposing a tax levy of just over $81.5 million in 2026-27, an increase of 2.42 percent — the maximum allowed under the CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
O
ne of the things that I admired from the outset was the diversity that the city had.