Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston
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Friday, May 24, 2024
Vol. 99, No. 21
GUIDE TO SUMMER
PRO PALENSTINIAN RALLY AT COUNTY LEGISLATURE
BLAKEMAN TRANS BAN STRUCK DOWN
PAGES 21-28
PAGE 3
PAGE 6
G.N. re-elects Toch, Chen to board of ed
CIRCUS, CIRCUS, CIRCUS
Voters approve school district’s $282M budget, establish capital reserve BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Great Neck re-elected board of education members Grant Toch and Steve Chen in the school district’s election Tuesday, both of whom ran unopposed, passed its $282 million budget and voted to establish a new capital reserve fund. The district’s $282 million budget, which includes a 3.26% tax increase that falls within the allowable tax cap,received more than 82% of the vote, with 1,529 in favor and just 318 against. Toch received 1,522 votes and Chen received 1,543 votes. Toch, who serves as the board’s vice president, was elected in 2021. This will be his second term on the Great Neck Board of Education. Chen was appointed to the board in September to fill the vacancy left by long-serving trustee Barbara Berkowitz, who had resigned in July. This was Chen’s first election and will be his first full term. Both will serve a three-year term that concludes June 30, 2027. Toch and his wife moved to Great Neck in 2005 and have three children. Two of his children are still enrolled in the school district, and the third is attending college. Toch, a financial service company
investor and former tax lawyer, previously chaired the United Parent Teacher Council Budget Committee for about nine years. He previously told Blank Slate Media that he sought re-election to continue giving back to his community – a pursuit he said he finds personal joy in. He said the school district is a facet in helping to unify the greater peninsula. With a new term, Toch previously said he seeks to foster greater similarities between the district’s north and south schools, continue investments in social and emotional wellness for students, and aid in unifying the greater community through the schools. Chen, a 12-year resident of Great Neck, has two children in the school district. He started his career as a certified public accountant and now operates his own property management company. He serves as the co-president of the Great Neck Chinese Association and has been a seven-year-long leader in the Great Neck Cub Scouts. Chen said he approaches his role on the board with a broader, global perspective by taking in facts presented to the board and being thoughtful and detailed in his consideration to make the best decisions. Continued on Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Parkville Elementary kindergarteners perform in the school’s annual Songfest.
Hochul awards $455K to Kings Point police BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Gov. Kathy Hochul is awarding more than $2 million to six local police departments in the Town of North Hempstead and another nearly $3.2 million to Nassau County law enforcement agencies. “Public safety is my top priority, and we are continuing to make record investments in law enforcement so they have the resources they need to protect our communities,” Hochul said in a
statement. “By investing in the latest technology and equipment, we’re responding to the requests of law enforcement agencies as they look to safeguard the future of our state.” The governor is awarding $127 million in total to various law enforcement agencies throughout Long Island. These funds are intended to aid in purchasing new technology and equipment to prevent and solve crimes, modernize depart-
ments and bolster public safety. The local agencies granted money include the police departments of Old Westbury, Garden City, Kings Point, Lake Success, Floral Park and Great Neck Estates. The Old Westbury Police Department is slated to receive the most amount of funds from the governor in the Town of North Hempstead, established at $704,000. Continued on Page 38