School Budget Passes with 61% of Vote

Levere and Marsico Elected to School Board

by Joan R. Simon

(May 18, 2005) The Mamaroneck School District budget easily passed on May 17, by a margin of 760 votes in the largest voter turnout in at least five years. With 61% voting yes for the budget, the final tally was 2094 in favor and 1334 opposed. The 2005-06 budget was for $96,302,000 with a tax rate increase of 7.5%.

BUDGET VOTE TALLY

Amy Levere

Rick Marsico

For the second time in five years, a challenger ran against the two Selection Committee-endorsed candidates for positions on the school board. However, independent Gerhard Stohrer fell far short in his run against first-time candidate Rick Marsico and incumbent Amy Levere. At a post-vote gathering in the Post Road Conference Center at Mamaroneck High School, Mr. Stohrer commented that the campaign had been “a real learning experience” for him, and Mr. Marsico thanked him for “raising some important issues” the board will need to address.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

Outgoing Supt. Sherry King thanks budget supporters at the post-vote gathering.

The large margin of votes in favor of the budget was a far cry from last year when the budget passed by only 76 votes. This year’s success reflected a lower percentage increase in the budget’s bottom line for tax payers (7.52% in 2005 v. 9.88% in 2004) and the fact that the Kemper Memorial issue was temporarily off the table, due to a legal decision in January denying the district from going ahead with its controversial plan to move the park (See: Judge Rules: Kemper Park Changes Prohibited). The school board still has the opportunity to appeal the court's decision.

The large voter turnout this year follows a pattern observed during years when there have been contested school board races or controversial issues surrounding the budget. In 2001 and 2005 there were challengers to the Selection Committee-endorsed candidates and in 2004 there was heated debate over the decision to add $500,000 to the budget for the Kemper Memorial Park reconfiguration plan.

5-YEAR BUDGET VOTE RECORD

This was the final public vote for outgoing Superintendent Sherry King and Assistant Superintendent Sarah Tate, who has prepared the budget for the past 15 years. With tears in her eyes, Dr. King thanked the community for their continuing “commitment to the excellence of the schools.”

Large Increase of Voters in Selection Committee Elections

Eight new members of the Mamaroneck Committee for the Selection of School Board Nominees (Selection Committee) were also elected on May 17 with a surprisingly large voter turnout. The total vote from all four elementary schools was 1014, a sharp rise from the last two years, when vote tallies were 323 (2004) and 419 (2003). None of the elections was contested. (See: Selection Committee Biographies & Statements.)

VOTER TURNOUT FOR SELECTION COMMITTEE

Outgoing Selection Committee president Syl Morrone commented, "I’m very encouraged that people did take the time for the Selection Committee candidates, especially since it's often hard to find our ballot box. And I'm even more ecstatic at the way the community was energized by this election."

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