Update: Budget Passes, Bennett and Ryan Elected to School Board

Massapequa voters changed the face of their school board Tuesday by electing newcomer Gary Bennett and voting current Board president Christine Lupetin Perrino out of office. 

At the same time, incumbent Jane Ryan kept her seat and the district’s proposed 2011-2012 budget passed, 3,249 to 2,372.

Bennett and Ryan were elected with 2,917 and 2,779 votes respectively. while Perrino fell short of holding on to one of the two seats up for grabs with 2,566 votes. Challenger Carl Hoops who had 2,488 was also not elected.

The victory was sweet for Bennett who had tried to get on the board several times in the past and fell one vote short of beating Ryan three years ago.

He made lowering the tax burden for Massapequa residents and freezing or cutting administrators’ salaries a centerpiece of his campaign.

After the vote total was announced at , he was already looking forward to getting to work.

“I think the people of Massapequa have voted for a representative that they can rely on to try to get the school budget under control,” he said.

“I’m going to work very hard at that. We need some kind of balance between salaries and the taxes. Everyone in the negotiations has a stake and it can’t be one sided for any one group over another group.”

Bennett also vowed to try to convince the Board that taxpayers are unhappy  and said he’d like to see no increase in next year’s budget.

Ryan, a certified public accountant, won her second term on the board. 

She thanked the voters for once again giving her their support.

“I’m looking forward to the years ahead and meeting the challenges and pursuing the promises that I gave during my campaign,” she said.  

Perrino was gracious in defeat, also thanking her supporters while looking back on the district’s accomplishments during her nine years on the board. 

“I have been so proud to represent this community,” she said. “And I leave this district with the transformed academic program that this community should be very proud of.  Our children are doing exceptionally well and I’m so proud of them first and foremost. I will always stand by the children.”

Hoops spoke briefly to reporters, but hinted he might run again.

“I appreciate everyone's support and I thank them very much,” he said, adding, “I might be back next year.”

Despite the apparent anger over taxes which was likely a factor in Bennett’s election, the $179 million 2011-12 budget passed, even though it included a  1.64 percent tax increase. 

The budget also showed a spending increase of 1.72 percent and the tax  and spending numbers were offset by the district’s use of reserve or “rainy day” funds.

District officials said they have tried to keep the tax increase below the two percent tax cap by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Massapequa school superintendent Charles Sulc, was pleased to see the spending plan pass.

“We’re very thankful for the community support in terms of supporting the budget at the level they did,” he said. 

“ It was about a 58 percent margin of victory and that’s a tremendous number in Massapequa.

The 2011-2012 budget for the Massapequa Public Library also passed by a 3,501 to 2,047 margin, while library trustee Catherine Reilly, who ran unopposed was re-elected with 3,387 votes.