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CommuNIty uPDatE Infections as of may 7
8,160
Infections as of may 2 8,142
$1.00 $1.00
bellmore
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HERALD art makes state exhibit
18/21 itc FG Demi Condensed
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Vol. 24 No. 20
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B-m students are merit Finalists
may 13 - 19, 2021
Assembly passes public water measure tion to create a Nassau County Water Authority. The Assembly quickly passed When Claudia Borecky, co- the legislation before May 1, but director of the Merrick-based the rate hike was already passed Long Island Clean Air, Water on to customers. The 26 to 30 perand Soil, read over the State cent increase may appear on Assembly’s bill that creates a ratepayers’ next bill. path for a public While the water authority, Assembly bill proshe knew it might poses capping both not pan out, she future rate increassaid. es and rates for “I didn’t think it expenses that have was going to be already been possible,” Borecky ClauDIa BoRECky incurred, the Sensaid, explaining Co-director, Long ate bill differs in that the bill’s goal it aims to elimIsland Clean Air, Water that to cap rate increasinate a special franes at 2 percent may and Soil chise tax the pribe unconstitutionvate company is al. “Those rates were deter- obligated to pay. NYAW passes mined years ago. They were those additional costs on to its postponing payments — they’re customers, creating an unequal for costs already incurred by burden that has been highlightNew York American Water.” ed by both critics and the compaSo, the years-long battle to ny’s representatives. form a municipal water provider The Assembly bill would form to replace NYAW — which has a North and South Shore Water been repeatedly criticized for its Authority, which Borecky also high rates — continues. Advo- criticized for the way it would cates, including LICAWS mem- represent ratepayers. She said it bers, gathered at the Theodore would be too “North Shore-cenRoosevelt Executive and Legisla- tric,” with six representatives tive Building in Mineola on from the North Shore and four April 26 to decry a May 1 rate from the Town of Hempstead. It hike and to call on the State Senate to pass corresponding legislaContinued on page 6
By aNDREW GaRCIa agarcia@liherald.com
I
Courtesy North Bellmore School District
Scavenging for gold Fourth-graders Olive Bigay, left, and Penny Pena went on a scavenger hunt outside of Newbridge Road Elementary School. More photos, story, Page 10.
At 1.45%, Central tax levy increase is the lowest in years By aNDREW GaRCIa agarcia@liherald.com
Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District administrators held a public hearing on the 2021-22 district budget on May 5, the first in-person school board meeting held by the district since last year. Residents will vote on the budget next Tuesday. The district will present voters with a $170 million spending plan that comes with a 1.45 per-
cent increase in the tax levy — the total amount in taxes that will be collected from all district taxpayers. That’s the lowest increase in the past 10 years of district budgets, with the past four above 2 percent. Despite the smaller increase, Bellmore-Merrick is maintaining all student programs. The question remains, however, just how different hallways and classrooms will look after the district faced a flurry of unprecedented
circumstances and changes this school year. As of now, masks are still required, and plastic barriers still line students’ and teachers’ desks, among other sanitary requirements. One parent at the meeting said the barriers should be taken down, citing student complaints. “We are currently looking at our classrooms — we know that Continued on page 7
thought we had our last rally.