Residents in both the Roslyn and East Williston school districts approved their 1999-2000 budgets in voting that took place Tuesday, May 18. In Roslyn, there was no challengers to incumbent school board members seeking re-election. However, in East Williston challenger Robert Kusher defeated incumbent school board member Janet Entine, 1,518 to 1,189 in that district's lone contested school board race.

Mr. Kushner had been defeated in previous attempts to gain election to the school board. He had lost to Ms. Entine by 86 votes in 1996 and by nine votes to Rich Horowitz in 1994.

"The community was concerned with the issues, they came out, voted and spoke their mind," Mr. Kushner said about the May 18 election.

Meanwhile, East Williston voters approved the 1999-2000 school budget by a 1,185 to 821 margin. That budget totals $27,776,963 for the coming school year.

In Roslyn, school board members Ellen Seigel and William Costigan were re-elected without any opposition. Roslyn voters approved the 1999-2000 budget which totaled $53,090,302 budget by a 938-359 margin.

Voters also voted 908 to 372 to approve a proposition to change the school district's transportation policy. The new policy would have/will provide busing for all students in grades K-8 and reduce the mileage requirement for students in grades 9-12 from 1 1/4 miles to 3/4 miles for the next two school years, beginning in September, 1999, during the HOV-lane construction on the Long Island Expressway. According to school officials, the annual expenditure for this additional busing will be $72,924, equal to about $10 per year for the average Roslyn homeowner.