Serving Port Washington
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Friday, March 4, 2016
Vol. 1, No. 1
Port WashingtonTimes &Design
Clean Your Slate Spring cleaning pointers Page 40
The Air In There
e 3 ways to improv indoor air quality Page 44
Safety First
Simple ways to make bathrooms safer Page 47
home & design
MAN CHARGED IN police CALL mangano PORT BURGLARIES SEXTing A ‘hoax’
PAGEs 39-58
PAGE 2
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• march 4, 2016 advertising section litmor publications a blank slate media/
Piercing tax cap on table says Mooney
LANDMARK PERFORMANCE
Cites hike in enrollment as major factor in 2016-17 budget talks B y Sara h Minkewicz Port Washington Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Mooney on Wednesday defended the possibility of the district exceeding the state-mandated tax cap in developing the 2016-17 budget, “I think those who have taken the time to come out to the meetings and understand the details, they will be more supportive of the budget,” Mooney said, a day after a heated public hearing in which some parents expressed objections to any budget that exceeded the tax cap. Port Washington school officials announced on Feb. 23 that they considering a tax hike that exceeds a projected 0.85 tax cap to accommodate the district’s growing student enrollment. Officials at the meeting said they need to spend more than $1.5 million in new hires to deal with an increasing in student enrollment. Board members said they are
considering other options as well such as staying within the 0.85 tax cap. Another option would be exceeding the tax cap but still keeping the increase under 2 percent. Several residents who attended a standing-room only community forum at Paul D. Schreiber High School on Tuesday expressed opposition to the district exceeding the tax cap. “We as taxpayers and parents have to live within our budget,” said Marybeth Tarder, a parent of five, according to Newsday. “I would appreciate if the district within theirs. But others defended the possibility of exceeding the tax cap. Michelle Duran, co-president of the Manorhaven elementary school PTA, said at the forum she’s witnessed first-hand the squeeze on class sizes and how the district has no choice but to exceed the tax cap. Mary Callahan, assistant superintendent of business for the Continued on Page 82
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Dan Zanes with his partner Sonia de los Santos at Sunday’s Children’s Concert at the Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington
Blank Slate launches the Port Washington Times By N o a h Ma n s k ar Between 1989 and 2006, Blank Slate Media Publisher Steven Blank grew two community newspapers in Queens into an award-winning group
of 16 publications. He came to Nassau County in March 2010 hoping to do the same thing, buying three papers and opening two more in 2013. The opening of the Port Washington Times, Blank
Slate’s sixth paper, is the latest step toward building a successful company founded on professional, comprehensive journalism that serves the community’s residents and businesses, Blank said. Continued on Page 82
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