Residents of Hicksville voted Tuesday 1,861 to 1,229 in favor of the school district's Proposition #1, which called for a 5.5. percent or $4,067,108 increase over the current year's spending plan. Proposition #1 relates to the district's proposed 2003-04 spending plan and is broken down into three components - Administrative, Program and Capital. The proposed 2003-2004 costs are $10,120,288, $58,488,034 and $9,732,322, respectively, for a total budget of $78,340,644.

In addition, residents also voted 1,764 to 1,175 in favor of Proposition #2, which called for the appropriation of $50,000 to the Hicksville Gregory Museum, as in previous years, for educational services associated with its programs.

Of the budget's total, $7,642,658 or 9.76 percent will be offset by state aid. As a result, the district's tax rate is expected to increase by $57.41 per $100 of assessed valuation for an average tax bill of approximately $3,031 for a Class I homeowner. Last year, the estimated tax rate was $51.01 per $100 of assessed valuation, resulting in an average tax bill of $2,723.

In the race for the Hicksville Board of Education, two contested seats were up for re-election. Newcomer Gus Costa received 1,481 votes, defeating incumbent Peggy Theis, who received 1,314. The other seat was won by incumbent Pat Love. Love, a member of the school board for almost eight years, received 1,459 votes, defeating newcomer Dolores Garger who received 1,318 votes.

Trustee positions are for three-year terms. Costa and Love will be installed during the Hicksville School District's reorganization meeting on July 1.