The proposed 2000-2001 Glen Cove school $47,789,674 budget, carrying an estimated tax increase of 6.2 percent, was defeated a second time by voters, in the latest instance by more than double the margin after its first appearance at the polls. On Tuesday, June 20, the budget received 1,972 votes against; 1,428 votes in favor, a margin of 544 votes. After its defeat on May 16, the Board of Education voted 5-2, (the same 5-2 vote the budget received initially from the board), to offer voters the same budget. With the second defeat, law dictates that the school district is under austerity. This will be the second visit to austerity in about as many years for the school district. The austerity budget is $595,321 lower than the failed budget.

During the entire budget campaign, Glen Cove residents experienced an unprecedented and well funded anti-budget battle. Most of the anti-budget rhetoric came from a group calling themselves The Friends of Glen Cove and Education. This same group supported the successful school board candidacy of Dr. Rodger Silletti. During the last two months, anti-budget and pro-budget camps have made accusations as to the accuracy of information the public was being given. There are those who say the anti-budget folks used misinformation and lies to win, first, a seat on the board and, second, austerity for the district. And there are those who say the budget's defeat is due to the absence of pro-active vision by school board members and school administration and the complete lack of marketing savvy as exhibited by the other side. In addition, some residents feel that the school board should have stated an estimated tax increase early in the budget process, as they have done in previous years, and the board should have disseminated the salaries of administrators and coordinators prior to when it was legally mandated. Yet another idea is that the board should have revised the defeated budget and pared it down. As late as Tuesday night during the vote tally at the high school, each side of the budget issues accused the other of harassment during campaigning at local supermarkets and in parking lots.

Contrary to misleading information contained in the Friends' fliers blanketing this city recently, taxes are, indeed, going up, but by an estimated 4.2 percent. And, contrary to more misleading information in fliers, the contractual increases in the salaries of the district's administrators and coordinators will indeed be awarded. The fliers were distributed by the Friends of Glen Cove and Education, who some say are far from amicable to residents of this city and are definitely not proponents of educating Glen Cove's students. The fliers implied that a successful "no" vote on the budget would stop administrative salary increases and, among other things, would not mean the loss of student programs and activities.

The Board of Education will be meeting tonight, June 22, 8 p.m. in Thayer House to consider which items to cut from the budget. Legally mandated cuts will be in equipment and capital projects totaling $475,247. An additional $120,074 must be made to the budget. They must be decided before June 30, the date the board is legally required to adopt a budget.

The board of education met in the high school on June 19 for a regular meeting. Prior to addressing agenda items, the board of education recognized staff and teachers who are either retiring or being awarded tenure. Noticeably absent from this part of the meeting were board members Bill Boeddener and Phil Enright, two of the more vocal tenure opponents on the board. Mr. Boeddener did join the meeting at 8:30 p.m., just after the tenure appointments.

As required by the commissioner of education's office, the board voted to adopt the district's professional development plan, the academic intervention services description, and the 2000 Special Education district plan. For the first time in recent memory, the board agreed that any plan set forth by the district's administration should include a follow-up report on its effectiveness. The board conducted the first reading of several policies referring to Special Education and the second reading and adoption of its policy on class ranking. Eight-year-old computers in the Jostens labs of the elementary schools were declared surplus by the board paving the way for their sale. It was noted that the market for obsolete computers was probably non existent and one resident commented that perhaps the computers should be offered to children whose families may not be able to afford one.

The board bid a fond farewell to their fellow member, Lorri Prince, as this was her last meeting as a board member. Mrs. Prince lost the recent school board election and her position will be filled by Dr. Rodger Silletti. During public comments, the board and residents in attendance wondered if any individuals are part of an organization called Friends of Glen Cove and Education. One school board member said it seemed as if this organization has nothing and no one behind it. One board member said the organization was just a name.