School Budget Passes with 61% of Vote

Uncontested Race Returns Tse & Adds Nichinsky & Jacobson to the Board

by Judy Silberstein

(May 17, 2006) Torrential rains for the first half of the day may have kept many Mamaroneck School district voters away from the polls on school election day, May 16, or maybe it was the lack of any suspense. Michael Jacobson, Robin Nichinsky and Linnet Tse, the three candidates nominated by the Selection Committee, were the only ones running for the three seats needing to be filled on the Mamaroneck School Board, and there was no organized opposition to the budget.

BUDGET FINAL VOTE TALLY

The district's budget passed by a margin of 517 votes with 1446 or 61% voting "yes" and 929 or 39% voting "no." The 2006-07 budget was for $103,874,140 with a tax rate increase of 7.83% (only slightly more than last year's 7.5% tax rate hike).

Celia Felsher (center), Mamaroneck School Board president, announces the vote results flanked by Supt. Dr. Paul Fried and Asst. Supt. Dr. Christine Grucci.

"This is wonderful news in my first year," said Superintendent Paul Fried, who thanked the other administrators, board members and PTA leaders gathered near his office to await the vote result on Wednesday evening. It was also the first budget for Dr. Christine Grucci, Assistant Superintendent for Business Operations, who was on hand to cheer the results. The two had been working on the budget almost since their first days on the job last summer, and began presenting preliminary numbers to the community seven months ago. (See: First Look at 2006-07 Budget Under New School Leaders.)

The 61% approval rating was identical to last year (see: 2005) and much higher than it was in 2004 when the budget included funds for controversial changes to the Kemper memorial and a tax rate increase of 9.88%. (See: 2004.) However, this year's approval rating was not as high as it had been in previous years with relatively large tax hikes: 77% of voters approved of the budget in 2003 when there was a 9.88% tax rate increase. (See: 2003)

Turnout was significantly smaller this year (a total of 2375 votes cast) than last year (a total of 3428 votes cast). Last year there was a contested board race, and the weather was better on election day. This year, the Mamaroneck High School PTA emailed a desperate plea at around noon: "Voter turnout is low ... put on your raincoat and go!!!"

6-YEAR BUDGET VOTE RECORD

School Board Election: 3 for 3

Waiting for the vote tally were the school board candidates Linnet Tse, Michael Jacobson and Robin Nichinsky.

Linnet Tse, a former PTA president at Murray with an MBA, earned a second term on the Mamaroneck School Board. Earning first terms were: Michael Jacobson, who specializes in municipal finance and lives in the Chatsworth School area; and Robin Nichinsky, a criminal appellate attorney and former PTA head at Central School. Leaving the board after six years each will be Celia Felsher, now serving as president, and Alan Parter. (For more on each board member see: Nichinsky, Jacobson & Tse Running for School Board)

2006 SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION VOTE TALLY

Large Drop in Votes on Selection Committee Elections

Also running for election on Tuesday were nine candidates for nine open seats on the Mamaroneck Committee for the Selection of School Board Nominees (Selection Committee). Only 343 voters, a fraction of those participating in the budget and board vote, cast ballots for the Selection Committee members. That's a sharp drop over last year's unusually high figure (1014 votes cast), but not far from the figures from previous years, 323 (2004) and 419 (2003). For photos, biographies and statements from the new members of the committee, see 2006 Selection Committee.

2006 VOTER TURNOUT FOR SELECTION COMMITTEE