In an unprecedented move, New York State's Senate and Assembly voted to change the statewide school budget vote day from May 20 to June 3. The legislature took the action the week of April 28, overriding the Governor's veto, to allow more time to restore education State Aid that was cut from the State budget.

What does this mean to Manhasset? According to Janet McCauley, Assistant Superintendent for Business, "Certainly, if our district was to receive additional aid, it would assist our revenue line. However, due to Manhasset's property wealth, we receive the smallest percentage of aid. The Governor's current budget package reduced our aid by more than $369,000, a 12.5 percent decrease from last year. We have recently received information that $200,000 of this amount may be restored by the Legislature. As usual, these numbers are only projections and not guaranteed funding. We are continuing to proceed cautiously with our budget planning. State Aid accounts for about 4 percent of our total revenues."

As reported in the May 2 issue of the Manhasset Press, the board of education unanimously adopted the 2003-04 school budget of $63,215,319, an increase of $5,206,170, or 8.97 percent over the current school year.

The annual school budget vote and Board of Education members' election will now be held on Tuesday, June 3, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Manhasset High School Gymnasium.

This year, Manhasset residents will elect two board members to serve on the board of education for three-year terms (new terms expiring June 30, 2006). Individuals running for the board are incumbent Debbie Klein, who has served on the board for the past three years, and candidates Cindy Cardinal, Dennis Dionisiou, and Marie Eslinger-Horowitz.

As required by law, a Public Hearing on the budget must be scheduled 7-14 days prior to the vote.

The Manhasset School District has rescheduled the hearing for Thursday, May 22, at 8 p.m. in the High School Board Room. The hearing will be held as part of a regularly scheduled board meeting.

Voters must be pre-registered to vote. Dates to register:

*Thursday, May 8 - 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

*Thursday, May 22 - 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Registration will take place in the Athletic Conference Room across from the high school gymnasium. Please use the gymnasium entrance and follow the signs to the registration area.

Voters will not be permitted to register on the day of the election and vote that same day. Please call 627-4400, ext. 3040 for more information.

Tuesday, June 3, 6:30 a.m. - 10 p.m., Manhasset High School gymnasium.

On Saturday May 10, Manhasset letter carriers, as well as letter carriers all over the country, will deliver much more than mail when they walk and drive along their routes. They also will collect the goodness and compassion of their postal customers participating in the 11th annual National Association of Letter Carriers National Food Drive.

Letter carriers will collect non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes and in post offices and deliver them to local community food banks, pantries and shelters including Island Harvest, The Interfaith Nutrition Network, United Way of Long Island and Long Island cares to name a few. Unfortunately, the down economy as well as other factors has increased the dependence on food banks and shelters. There are too many people in this country going to bed hungry and we have the opportunity right now to help them. We are privileged to live and work in a community such as Manhasset and now is the time for us to show our gratitude by helping those less fortunate.

The Manhasset letter carriers have been outstanding in their efforts, as well have been the residents in their generosity, in past food drives. Although last year's numbers were down, in May 2001 Manhasset residents donated 11,900 pounds of food, setting a new record for the town! No one equals the generosity of the residents of Manhasset. In 2001 you donated almost two pounds of food per delivery point in Manhasset. With the addition of new deliveries, if the average increased just slightly to 2.5 pounds per stop we would collect almost 16,000 pounds of food and in the process set a new record for Manhasset. The effort by members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (AFL-CIO) and other volunteers is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. It has resulted in delivery of more than a half billion pounds of donations to community food banks and pantries over the past 10 years.

This year, Sarah Hughes, the reigning Olympic Gold Medallist in figure skating, and Great Neck resident, is serving as "Stamp Out Hunger" Ambassador for the food drive. Most residents of Manhasset have surely also seen the bright yellow flyers all throughout the town. The fliers, with A Family Circus cartoon on them, list all the corporate sponsors that have assisted the effort and the food banks that will benefit from this year's drive. The fliers were distributed by letter carriers, George Pammer, Tracy O'Connor, Brian Napolitano, Ed Chan and Rashad Jenkins, who volunteered their time "off the clock" to visit with store owners and shopkeepers after walking their routes.

There will be many more carriers who volunteer and go above and beyond on Saturday May 10, all we need is your support. Please remember to place non-glass perishables by your mailbox, or wherever you receive your mail. Manhasset residents can assist their letter carriers in making a very important delivery, a delivery of hope!