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HERALD Chamber holds spring fundraiser
What people are saying about Santos
Having fun at the Woman’s Club
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VOL. 125 NO. 21
MAY 19 - 25, 2023
Kaplan moved to run by Santos arrest
Locust Valley schools pass spending plan By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The Locust Valley Central School District budget passed on Tuesday, while Matthew Barnes, Holly Gaddy Esteves and Nicholas DellaFera were elected to the board of education, and Lauren Themis was re-elected. The vote came after a tumultuous year for the district, which lost both its superintendent and board president in just two months. The $94 million spending plan passed by a vote count of 1,294 to 865, while Proposition 2 — establishing a capital reserve fund — was approved with 1,216 “yes” votes and 529 “nos.” The district increased the tax levy by roughly $1.7 million, or 2 percent, which was below the state tax cap for the district. The increase in spending will help cover the costs of health insurance and benefits for teachers and staff, which have continued to rise over the past few years. District administrators said they were able to keep the tax levy increase relatively low by managing alter nate revenue streams such as state aid and interest earnings. All told, the district raised roughly $7.5 million from alternate revenue sources, which helped reduce the need to rely on taxpayers. “I am very grateful for all of those who came out to par ticipate in this year’s budget vote and for CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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“It made me understand how important it is to jump in now to do the legwork I need A video released on May 11 to do for next year,” she said. by former Democratic State “This will be a different race. Sen. Anna Kaplan was an offi- Both sides of the aisle will put cial kickoff for her candidacy a lot of money into it. I want as a challenger in the 3rd Con- to repeat what I did in 2018 gressional District primary. and have a grassroots camThe video has already had paign where I meet people and over a million tell them why I’m and a half views. running and to Kaplan could listen to everyeventually r un one.” against RepubliKaplan is c a n U. S . Re p. unfazed by othGeorge Santos. ers who wish to The primary challenge her or race, which has anyone who become crowded, might not lend already includes their support. Nassau County She had a hard Legislator Josh life in Tabriz, Lafazan; law proIran before she fessor Will Mur- ANNA KAPLAN came to the Unitphy; and Zak Mal- Congressional ed States, and it amed, founder of candidate, Great Neck toughened her a non-profit, who up. She had her announced his first experience candidacy on Monday. with anti-Semitism in Iran It was Santos’ indictment when as a child at a produce on May 10 for wire fraud, store the owner told her and money laundering, theft of her mother not to touch the public funds, and making vegetables and fruit because materially false statements to they were Jewish. When the the U.S. House of Representa- Ayatollah Khomeini seized tives that inspired Kaplan to power in 1979, she remembers ramp up her campaign, she the terror Jews experienced, said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com
Laura Lane/Herald
MEMBERS OF THE Board of Elections and poll workers counted absentee ballots on Tuesday in the Oyster Bay High School gym before announcing that the budget had passed.
School budget approved in O.B. By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com
Voters resoundingly approved the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District’s budget of just over $64.4 million on Tuesday, and gave a collective thumbs-up to all of the propositions on the ballot as well. This will help the district move forward with what Superintendent Francesco Ianni described as a mission to continue making Oyster Bay one of the best and most innovative school districts in the nation. Four residents ran for two seats on the school board, with incumbent Laurie Kowalsky garnering the most votes — 703 — guaranteeing her a third term. “I’m very grateful for the community support,” Kowalsky said. “This overwhelming support for my candidacy means the community is happy with the direction of the district.” Kowalsky, 57, an intellectual property attorney, has served as board president for two years. She has said she is committed to improving test scores and grade-school ratings, and that she conCONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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ow good would it be for Americans not to fear for their lives and have hope.