HHH Cast Votes on School Budget, Board

Half Hollow Hills residents are casting their ballots on a $216 million school budget and electing new members to the school board Tuesday as polls have been open since 7 a.m.

District officials would not comment on turnout so far, but there were about 20 voters inside the gym at 4:30 p.m.

The proposed budget represents a 3.9 percent spending increase and a 4.9 percent hike in the school tax levy. District officials have said the budget is as tight as possible in the face of state aid cuts and skyrocketing costs for employee benefits. 

Betty DeSabato, Maria Holmquist and Paul Peller are running as a team for the three open school board slots. Chris Schiavo and Diana Acampora are the other two candidates.

Khadijah Starling, of Dix Hills, has four children in the district and she told Patch outside High School East why she cast her vote in favor of the budget. 

"I think every child deserves the best education," Starling said. "This school district is known for its exemplary educational standards and it should continue."

She later added, "I'm getting my money's worth."

Starling also pulled the lever in favor of the slate of school board candidates: DeSabato, Holmquist and Peller. 

"Betty is very active on the legislative committee, I've seen the work that she's done," Starling said, adding that she was impressed with the educational backgrounds of Holmquist and Peller.

Marilyn Marlow, 70, also threw her support behind the budget, taking issue with fellow seniors who vote against school budgets on the grounds that they no longer have children in the district. 

"I voted for the budget because when my children went here and I saw all the old people voting against it, I got pissed," said Marlow, of Melville, whose two children are now in their 40s.  

"When you had children, hopefully older people were voting for it," she said of other seniors. "Now it's your turn and that's it. I mean, we're all in this together."

For Jay Masters, though, the proposed budget's corresponding tax hike was the main reason he voted no. 

"I happen to be one of the lucky people who are out of work," said Masters, 57, of Melville, "so I'm not exactly thrilled about the budget we are putting through that is four and something percent."

Polls are open until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Patch will report the results as soon as they come in.