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THE PULSE OF THE PENINSULA
Vol. 93, No. 20
BANKING, FINANCE SECRETARY MATTIS TERRY AND REAL ESTATE GIVE USMMA ADDRESS S JAILED PAGES 37-44
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Voters endorse district budgets, incumbents
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TA L K I N G I S R A E L
G.N. voters approve $229.8M school plan, $9.76M library budget, re-elect trustees BY JA N E LL E CL AUSEN
deeply grateful to the community for generating this 2,000 plus vote on Election Day,” Ashkenase, the Great Neck school district vot- vice president of the board, added. ers approved the $229.85 million “It was truly extraordinary, and budget by a ratio of more than I was worried to death that we 5-1 on Tuesday, while incumbent wouldn’t even hit 1,000 today to and uncontested Trustees Donald tell you the truth.” Superintendent of Schools TeAshkenase and Barbara Berkowitz resa Prendergast also noted that were re-elected. Voters approved the proposed the vote exceeded last year’s 81 percent yes vote and budget, which feathe 84 percent yes tures boosts in seSee related vote in 2016. curity spending and Ashkenase, who maintains the school’s election coverage has served since programming, 1,856 PAGE 20 1982, was re-elected to 333 – meaning with 1,444 votes, about 84.7 percent of while Berkowitz, serving since voters said yes. “We’re very lucky to live in a 1992, was re-elected with 1,745 community that despite hardships votes. This year’s budget vote and that people feel … and the awareness of the large chunk of change trustee elections differ starkly from that goes toward school taxes, last year, when a $68.3 million there’s still that support,” Berkow- bond, $223.3 million budget and itz, president of the Great Neck two trustee seats became contested school board, said after the results after Lawrence Gross and Susan Healy declined to run for re-elecwere announced. Continued on Page 20 “In my mind, we need to be
PHOTO COURTESY OF SID JACOBSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak spoke to an audience at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center on Thursday. See story on page 22.
Nearly $1M Plaza project gets preliminary approval BY JA N E LL E CL AUSEN
Shoreward Drive transportation enhancement project at a special meeting last WednesGreat Neck Plaza officials day, and the project now awaits gave preliminary approval final state approval. J. Anthony Enterprises, for J. Anthony Enterprises to work on the Welwyn Road and which previously upgraded
the Maple Drive parking lot, was the lowest of four bidders, offering to do the project for $995,754. Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said the next Continued on Page 65
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