A record number of residents turned out to vote on the Manhasset Union Free School District's proposed 2004-2005 operating budget on Tuesday, May 18. After tallying the 3,384 votes, it turned out that the school budget was defeated by 84 votes 1734 to 1650.

During a May 24 public meeting of the board of education, an open discussion was held before community residents regarding a budget revote. Having conducted one of the most comprehensive and open budget development processes in the history of the Manhasset School District, the board of education still believes it has created a fiscally prudent budget that will continue to meet the high standards expected by the community. The Board also believes that any additional cuts to the budget will jeopardize the academic integrity of the school district. The board has decided to move forward with a revote on the same budget-minus $70,200 due to the approval of Proposition Two-on Thursday, June 17. If the revote fails, the district will be forced to adopt a contingency budget under New York State law that will restrict the budget-to-budget increase to 3.79 percent. Under austerity, an additional $1.3 million will need to be cut from the budget.

"We held the budget-to-budget increase at a level that we believe increased efficiency in expenditure outside the classroom, while maintaining the quality academic services our community demands," stated Dr. Lawrence Bozzomo, superintendent of schools. "We met on Monday to discuss how we will proceed with the revote. If the school district is forced to operate under a contingency budget, the board and administration will have to closely re-examine the entire budget and make appropriate adjustments. In the event of an austerity budget, further cuts to our educational and extracurricular programs will be necessary, since we will need to eliminate an additional 5.8 to 10.5 teaching positions. In addition, Summer Center, continuing education and summer school may need to be eliminated in order to reach the additional expenditure reductions of $1.3 million to the budget."

Along with the operating budget, community residents had an opportunity to cast their vote on two additional propositions, as well as selecting two of the five nominees to serve on the board of education beginning July 1. Residents approved propositions two and three, which dealt with the modification of student transportation and walk-in voter registration, respectively, and elected Aline Khatchadourian and Larry Belinsky to the board.

With the passing of proposition two, voters agreed to extend the public school transportation eligibility for grades 7-12 pupils from one mile to one-and-on-half miles, beginning Sept. 2, 2004. This proposition also included the creation of a child safety zone for pupils in grades 7 through 12 who reside in the area surrounded by Northern Boulevard, Community Drive, Pond Hill Road and Allan Drive, and reside within one-and-one-half miles from the school such pupil legally attends, on the basis that their most direct walking route will traverse a hazardous zone. The approval of proposition three will allow the district to implement a system of walk-in voter registration, under which registration will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on days when school is in session, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on regular days of business when school is not in session. The system of walk-in voter registration shall be effective beginning July 1, 2004, and will take place at the office of the District Clerk in the Administrative Offices of the Manhasset Union Free School District at 200 Memorial Place, Manhasset, NY.