Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North, Sands Point
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Friday, May 24, 2024
Vol. 10, No. 21
PortWashingtonTimes Washington GUIDE TO SUMMER
PRO PALENSTINIAN RALLY AT COUNTY LEGISLATURE
BLAKEMAN TRANS BAN STRUCK DOWN
PAGES 21-28
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
Alvarez ousts Block, tax cap override OK’d
HAPOEL ESHKOL
Port School District’s $194.5 budget passes with more than 70% of votes BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Newcomer Sandra Alvarez defeated Trustee Adam Block, incumbents Nanette Melkonian and Adam Smith were re-elected to the Port Washington Board of Education, the district’s $194.5 million tax-cap piercing budget was approved with more than 70% of the vote on Tuesday. With a 4.55% tax increase that exceeds the tax cap by 1.16%, the budget was approved with 2,932 votes in favor and 1,245 votes against. The budget required a 60% vote in favor since it exceeded the tax cap. Voters also passed a proposition to use $4,055,000 from the district’s capital reserve fund for districtwide improvements to its incoming electrical service. The proposition garnered 3,183 votes of approval, or 79.4% of the total votes, and 826 votes against it. Eight candidates ran in the district’s trustee race. These included incumbents Smith, Block, and Melkonian and challengers Alvarez, Michael Bitalvo, Teodora Choolfaian, Joseph Delerme, and Beth Weisburd. Alvarez received 1,817 votes, Melkonian received 1,693 votes and Smith received 2,074 votes.
Block received 1,591, losing to Melkonian by 102 votes. They were followed by Weisburd with 1,070 votes, Bitalvo with 856, Delerme with 594 votes and Choolfaianreceiving with 434. Alvarez is a lifelong resident of Port Washington who runs a private youth athletics company on Long Island. She is also the co-president of the school district’s Special Education Parent Teacher Association, treasurer for Parents Council and has served on various school committees. She said she began attending Board of Education meetings three years ago after struggling to find adequate after-school programs for her child. In attending these meetings, she said she was introduced to a diverse array of concerns from other parents. Alvarez said she ran for the Board of Education to increase community representation on the board and stress the importance of inclusivity. She said while programs established recently by the board have been beneficial, they are vulnerable to cuts. Alvarez ran to preserve those programs, which she said are not adequately funded under the adopted budget. Continued on Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PORT WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Port Washington School District hosted the Israeli basketball team Hapoel Eshkol, fostering connections between Schreiber High School students and Israeli and Jewish community.
Critics blast Blakeman for unfulfilled promises BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Nassau residents are pushing back against County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s recent actions and failures to deliver on campaign promises that some described as fearmongering and attempts to grab the spotlight. “It seems like it’s all about trying out for Fox News. It’s all about getting those few minutes on Fox
News,” Concerned Citizens of NY-03 member Jody Kass said. “But he’s used our tax dollars to get himself these cameos so maybe they’ll get noticed by Donald Trump. That’s what it looks like to a lot of people.” They described his focus as directed toward mirages of problems, like that of Don Quixote, which has deterred his vision from the real issues of Nassau County – mainly his establishment of a resident emer-
gency deputy sheriff group. “Bruce Blakeman is Nassau County’s Don Quixote,” Concerned Citizens of NY-03 member Emily Raphael said, comparing the county executive to the fictional character who fought imaginary foes along his quest. The rally on the steps of the county legislature building Monday was hosted by Concerned Citizens of Continued on Page 37