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CommuNIty uPDAtE Infections as of April 11
5,788
Infections as of April 5 5,681
$1.00
FREEPORT
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When Property Taxes Go High We Go Low
HERALD
DEADLINE APRIL 30TH
Fire breaks out at auto shop
Village swears in new board
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Vol. 86 No. 16
THE LEADER IN PROP ERTY TAX REDUCT ION
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Maidenbaum Propert y Tax Reduction Gro up, LLC 483 Chestnut Street, Cedarhurst, NY 11516
APRIl 15 - 21, 2021
Power to the people Collection nets nearly 600 boxes of food for pantry By RoNNy REyEs rreyes@liherald.com
Christina Daly/Herald
RoB HAllAm CElEBRAtED as he took out the last of nearly 600 boxes of food donated to the Long Island Council of Churches food pantry during his 10th annual Moving Day celebration last Sunday.
The evening of April 10 was filled with uncertainties in the Hallam home, as Rob and Mary Hallam tried to fall asleep the night before their annual Moving Day celebration, when they planned to haul thousands of donated food items from their home in Lynbrook to the Long Island Council of Churches food pantry in Freeport. “What if the rain doesn’t stop tomorrow? What happens if too few people show up to help? What happens if too
many show up when we’re trying to social distance?” As these thoughts kept the Hallams awake, the couple, who attend the Community Presbyterian Church in Malverne, kept their faith that somehow everything would work out. The following mor ning, about 40 volunteers greeted the Hallams outside their home, ready to kick off the 10th annual People’s February Food Drive Moving Day. “It was wonderful to see everyone come out to help,” Continued on page 3
School district to avoid tax increase in 2021-22 By RoNNy REyEs rreyes@liherald.com
The Freeport School District Board of Education said on April 7 that there would no longer be an increase in the tax levy in the 2021-22 budget because of incoming funds from the state and federal governments. After Congress passed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus package last month, New York state not only will allocate an additional $3.5 billion in school aid to districts across the state, but also increase foundation aid to at least 60 percent of what districts are owed, which would be phased in over the next
three years. Freeport is owed an estimated $45 million in foundation aid, so it would see a minimum of $27 million in additional state aid by 2024. This year brings an additional $1.5 million to the district, raising its 2021-22 budget to $195 million. Although the district had kept the tax levy flat from 2015 to 2019, it was forced to raise the tax-levy cap last year after a shortfall in state aid. “We did not want to increase taxes again this year,” Superintendent Dr. Kishore Kuncham said, “because we wanted to be mindful about what our commu-
F
reeport is getting more of its fair share.
KIsHoRE KuNCHAm Superintendent
nity has been facing this past year.” “It wasn’t easy for our team to put this budget together,” school board President Vilma Lancaster said. “Hopefully we’ll be OK for the next three years.” The additional funding will also cover unexpected expenses
incurred during the pandemic. Last year, to ensure equity and access to remote learning during the shutdown and to enable the district’s hybridlearning model, Freeport spent about $1.2 million on laptop computers and webcams for students, and an additional $65,000 for remote Wi-Fi access for students who lacked internet con-
nections. The district also spent about $2 million for desk guards, motion-sensor faucets, personal protective equipment and custodial overtime to combat the spread of Covid-19. About half of the $3.2 million spent last year was carried over to this year’s budget, KunContinued on page 14