Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
$1.50
Friday, April 22, 2022
Vol. 71, No. 16
N E W H Y D E PA R K
LIVING 50+
INCREASED AID FOR SCHOOLS
MANGANO GETS 12 YEARS, BLASTED
PAGES 23-26
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Douglas Vigo not running for board seat
HAPPY EASTER
Floral Park-Bellerose, Sewanhaka trustee initially appointed in 2013 BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The Floral Park-Bellerose Board of Education will have at least one new trustee following the election on May 17. Michael Culotta, who joined the board in 2019, is running against Matthew Sexton while Douglas Vigo, appointed in 2013, is not seeking reelection, according to district officials. Running for his seat are Rosemarie Peltonen, a teacher in the district, and Michele Vincent. Culotta first ran unopposed for former Trustee Denice Dellacourte’s spot on the board. He is an attorney working on large-scale construction projects who moved from New York City to Floral Park eight years ago with his wife. Sexton is a lifelong district resident. He posted quotes to Facebook announcing his candidacy. “Matthew’s focus will be on parent’s rights, special education and budget transparency. Matthew will not support any new administrative spending until an itemized budget is provided to residents at the start of the annual budget process,” Sexton’s post read. “Using his experience as a Social Worker, Matthew can help shape policies that focus on students growing and coping within
an ever-changing world in line with the values instilled by their parents.” Vigo is in his ninth year as a trustee and was appointed in 2013. He has lived in the district for over 39 years and has three children. Vigo is a financial controller who has served as a board trustee, vice president and president of the board. He has also served on the Sewanhaka Central High School Board of Education for six years. Voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the John Lewis Childs School and Floral Park-Bellerose School. Great Neck Board of Education Trustee Donna Peirez is running for reelection against district resident Emil Hakimi. Peirez, who was first elected to the board in 2016 to fill a vacant seat left by Monique Bloom, said in a letter to Blank Slate Media that protecting quality public education and promoting transparency throughout the district are her paramount concerns ahead of the May 17 election. “All parents who live in Great Neck are entitled to a quality education for their children,” Peirez said. “In order for our students to continue to excel in school and beyond, we must preserve the creative, innovative and visionary Continued on Page 34
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LAKEVILLE ESTATES CIVIC ASSOCIATION
Lakeville Estates Civic Association members Cindy and Neil share their two dogs ahead of Easter Sunday.
NHP may exceed tax cap to replace Marcus Christ Hall BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y
Marcus Christ Hall, the community center. The tentative spending plan The Village of New Hyde Park was set to vote on a proposed bud- for the 2022-23 fiscal year includes get that would exceed the state tax $7,370,510.52 in appropriations, an cap due in part to plans to replace increase of about $747,433.44. Vil-
lage taxes in the proposal are set to rise 15.66 percent, far above the 2 percent state tax cap. Homeowners in the village with an assessed valuation of $5,400 can Continued on Page 35
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