As with voters all across Long Island, residents of the Massapequa School District went to the polls on Tuesday, May 15 to vote on a school budget, a library budget, a funding proposition, and a school board seat.

The budgets were approved as was a funding proposition, but Arlene Martin, the incumbent school board member was defeated by the challenger, Tim Taylor.

The BOE race was close, with Taylor prevailing by a 2,554 to 2,481 margin.

The votes for the budgets and Proposition #3 were not as close. The $156,570,819 budget passed by a 2,892 to 2,354 margin.

In addition, the Massapequa Public Library passed by a healthy 3,040 to 2,086 vote. In the library trustee race, J. Laibach ran unopposed, receiving 2,474 votes.

Proposition #3, which would approve an EXCEL aid program for the Massapequa district passed by a 2,959 to 1,833 margin.

Prior to the vote, school district officials said that if the EXCEL proposal succeeded, then the district would receive an additional $5.7 million to use for specific purposes as mandated by state law.

The approved budget represents an increase in spending of 6.78 percent. State aid allowed the Massapequa BOE to reduce the budget's original tax levy from 6.98 percent to 5.8 percent.

But the big news was the rare defeat of a sitting incumbent. Ms. Martin had served on the BOE for nine years and in running for re-election, she stressed her experience in both education and community organizations. She also touted such changes as the alignment of curriculum across the grades, scores above the county average, expanded efforts to meet the needs of special education children, and a steady growth in Regents diplomas. Ms. Martin also claimed that the BOE had been successful in many areas to control costs, which enabled Massapequa school district taxes to be $733 lower than the average Nassau County district.

For his part, Taylor focused on tax and spending issues. He especially criticized pay raises for school administrators, claiming that such salaries were the main reason the school budget has increased over the past several years. Taylor said that the "reckless spending of the current school board" was causing middle class residents to be "squeezed out of town," a message that apparently resonated among enough voters to earn him a seat on the BOE.

Meanwhile, in the Plainedge School District, the $68,280,658 budget was approved by a 2,518 to 1,918 margin. Three candidates vied for two board of education seats. Nancy Giris was the top vote getter, receiving 2,260 votes. Douglas Pascarella won the second seat with 2,236 votes. Dennis Gustaffon came in a close third with 1,915 votes. The Plainedge Library budget passed with by a 2,662 to 1,476 vote.