The-Leader_2006-05-11

              In This issue
Freeport budget hearing-pa^ 2
Smear campaign cited ^pagss
Baldwin candidates -pugeg
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www.thefreeportbaldwinleader.com
71st Year, No. 19 Freeport, N,Y. 11520
The Commutitty Newspaper
Thursday, A/lay 11, 2006
"I am really flustered and I don't get flustered," sputtered Patrice Gianaca of Freeport when The Leader called to congratulate her on winning Mother of the Year. Son, Steven, 17, with a little help from son Chris, 22, nominated Mrs. Gianaca as...."the universal.mom...an amaz­ing woman that embodies the title!"
Pat Gianaca and her husband Peter are residents of Freeport for 24 years, most of their married life. Corning from Franklin Square, the couple found a great sense of community in Freeport. "Maybe because- it is an incorporated, village, but Freeport nurtures involvement and welcomes families. I would not want to live any other place. I love the diversity, the life," says Mrs. Gianaca.
This mom of Freeport has freely involved herself in the "life of her town and its' children," according to her son Steven. When her two boys were playing Little League ball, she served on the Little League Board. When the league's president rah and was elected mayor, Mrs. Gianaca was elected the first woman president of the league and served for four years. The league had 55 teams at the time.
(continued on page 7)
THE GIANACA FAMILY: From left are son Chris, husband Peter, winner Mother of the Year Patrice and son Steven.
I Freeport voters may choose among I candidates for the Freeport Board of '> Education at the annual school and I library budget vote and trustee elec-I tion scheduled for Tuesday, May 16. .| Voting will take place between 6 f a m. and 9 p.m., and all registered I voters are eligible to cast their ballots. i Polling places include Atkinson, 1-Columbus, Bay view. Archer and I Giblyn Schools, as well as the I Freeport Family Community Center. I Two candidates are running for an I open seat on the Freeport Board of I Education currently held by Sunday i,Coward: Dr.- Joseph Cattano and I Debra Mule. (See page 6 for candi-I date profiles.)
4- The proposed school district budg-I'et is $128,509,876 which is a 6.26 J percent budget increase but repre-1,
sents a lesser tax rate increase of 2.20 percent since state aid is expected to increase by $2.6 million. Major increases are in the categories of salaries, utility costs, additional unfunded mandates and state con­trolled retirement contributions. It includes extra teacher to staff an all-day kindergarten program, which the district hopes to institute in 2006-2007
The proposed -library budget is $5,141,622, which is an increase of $330,083. The major increases are in the categories of health insurance and . salaries (the library in in the last year of a three-year contract with its staff), as well as expenses related to the replacement of the roof in the West Building.
Baldwin voters may choose among three candidates for two seats on the Baldwin Board of Education and two candidates for one seat on the library board of trustees.at ; the annual school and library budget vote : and trustee election scheduled for Tuesday, May 16, at Baldwin Senior High School. • Voting will take place between 7 a.m. and : 10 p.m., and all registered voters are eligi-; ble to cast their ballots. ' School board candidates running at large' < are incumbents Mary Jo O'Hagan and Robert ("B.A.") Schoen along with chal­lenger Stanley Gittleman. Candidates run-I ning for the library board include incum­bent Anthony Tarantino and challenger Ethell Smith; (See page 9 for candidate profiles.)
The proposed school district biidget is :'-$99,807,330 which is a $5,892,512 J increase over last year. This is a 6.27 per-rcent budget increase but represents a less-j er tax levy increase of 5.02 percent since
state aid is expected to increase by $2.2 million. Major increases are in the cate­gories of salaries, utility costs, additional unfunded mandates, debt service, state controlled- retirement contributions, two additional buses, and the reinstate.ment of previously cut funding for furniture, equipment and supplies.
The proposed librai-y budget is $3,327,000 which is an increase of $189,815. The'major increases are in the categories of utility and insurance costs and health and retirement benefits. Monies have been set aside for salary increases pending the conclusion of contract negoti­ations, which have been ongoing for almost two years. Also projected are enhanced services including thie opening of a; Young Adult Homework Center, expanded Career and Outreach services as well as a subscription for downloadable audio-books.
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