Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1.50
Friday, May 24, 2024
Vol. 73, No. 21
GUIDE TO SUMMER
PRO PALENSTINIAN RALLY AT COUNTY LEGISLATURE
BLAKEMAN TRANS BAN STRUCK DOWN
PAGES 21-28
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Herricks vet Hassan beat, budget passes Bono prevails, Quraishi wins in field of 5, 141M spending plan OK’d BY TAY L O R H E R Z L I C H
the cost of settling child sex abuse claims against the district. When the board adopted the proMaria Bono, a former teacher and active PTA member, defeated incum- posed 2024-2025 budget, the district’s bent Trustee Brian Hassan with 63% of original state aid projection was $27 the vote, Northwell physician Shaheda million. According to the administration, Quraishi defeated five challengers for state aid will provide around 20% of toseats on the Herricks Board of Education tal district revenues in the 2024-2025 and a $141 million budget was approved budget. Rutkoske said the district willreceive with 63% of the 2,590 votes on Tuesday. Hassan, who lost his seat to Bono, $100,000 more in state aid under the rereceived 874 votes. Challengers Eric Lo, cently approved state budget than under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s iniRavinder Ratra, Russell tial proposal. Stuart, and Surendra “I also feel it’s imGupta lost to Quraishi, See Mineola portant that people on receiving 569 votes, 473 budget and the board, that there’s votes, 288 votes, and 184 trustee results a turnaround and new votes, respectively. blood,” Bono previously Bono, who won elecPAGE 2 told Blank Slate Metion to the board with dia. “Currently, we have 1,502 votes, is a former New York City school teacher. She has five members that have been there for lived in Albertson for 22 years. Bono has 12 years, plus. And none of them have three children who have graduated from children on the board and I think that’s the district and one who is currently a important as well in order to be relevant and be able to connect with the commu10th grader. Residents approved the 2024-2025 nity.” Bono later acknowledged that she budget with a 1,632 to 958 margin. The $141,710,364 2024-2025 bud- misspoke and one member has been get represents a 5.2% increase from the there for only seven years. Bono said she has been highly in2023-2024 budget of $134,719,970. The tax levy increase is 2.38%, volved in the district for 20 years, including acting as the president of nearly evwhich is within the state tax cap. Board members said the larger-than- ery district PTA at some point. Continued on Page 37 usual budget increase was due in part to
PHOTO COURTESY OF FARHANA ISLAM
Long Island residents rally for Palestinian rights outside Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office. See story on page 4.
E.W. OKs $71M budget, re-elects 2 incumbents B Y T A Y L O R H E R Z L I C H 2015 capital reserve fund into the and 1,006 votes to Tercynski’s 659 Incumbent Trustees Robert Fallarino and Leonard Hirsch defeated challengers Denise Tercynski and Eswar Sivaraman to retain their seats on the East Williston Board of Education and voters approved a $71 million budget with 68% of the 1,496 votes Tuesday. Residents approved with 78% of the vote in a 1,210 to 350 margin the transfer of a leftover balance of about $650,000 from the
2023 capital reserve fund. Residents also approved with 78% of the vote in a 1,210 to 345 margin the transfer of a leftover balance from the 2019 capital reserve fund to be used for capital projects, including the replacement of the North Side School roof and auditorium renovations at The Wheatley School. Fallarino defeated Tercynski, an active PTO member and Mineola resident, with 60% of the vote
and Hirsch defeated Sivaraman, a research scientist and East Williston resident, with 62% of the vote and 1,001 votes to Sivaraman’s 604. “I have been on the board for 15 years so obviously I have a passion for education and I have a sister who’s a teacher and now I have a son who has become a teacher,” Fallarino previously told Blank Slate Media, “and at the beginning Continued on Page 38