Paz referred to the board’s public hearings about the veterans’ school tax exemption and Gold Star exemption on Feb. 26, when the board denied the measures. In the vote on the veterans’ exemption President Alicemarie Bresnihan, Vice President Robert Paskoff and Trustees Heather Hanson, Ellen Marcus and Sean Strife voted not to move forward with the exemption. Belmont abstained and Trustee Catherine Papandrew was absent from the hearing.

The vote for the Gold Star exemption was nearly the same, however, Strife abstained from this vote making it 4-0 with two abstentions and one absence.

After the vote in February, veterans in Lynbrook were upset and Cardone uninvited the board of education and school administrators from marching in the parade. The administration responded with a discussion on May 12 of not allowing the students to march in the parade. The board ultimately decided they would allow the students to participate.

Veterans then organized a public forum with a panel including Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick, Post Commander Kevin Canty, Cardone, Lynch and other veterans.