Island Park and Oceanside budgets pass; bond passes in IP

Residents of Oceanside and Island Park turned out to vote on Tuesday, with an overwhelming majority showing their school districts that even in these tough times, education will have community support. The school budget in Oceanside passed 1,817-896 (67-33 percent), and Island Park’s five propositions—including the $5.1 million bond—each passed by a significant margin.

Propositions 1 and 2, for the approval of the budget and high school contracts with West Hempstead UFSD and Long Beach CSD, passed 708-287 (71-29 percent) and 796-182, respectively, while Propositions 3 and 4, each authorizing use of reserve funds, passed 761-219 and 751-217. Proposition 5, for the approval of the bond, passed 699-263 (73-27 percent).

In Oceanside, Trustee Robert Transom, who also serves as president of Oceanside Community Service, returned to his Board of Education seat on a surge of 1,557 votes. In the one contested election, Mike D’Ambrosio took the seat recently vacated by Maryanne Lehrer with 1,699 votes. His opponent, Leo Bonacasa, received 792 votes.

Diana Caracciolo returned to her seat on the Island Park BoE for a five-year term, defeating newcomer Jack Vobis 543-426. Tara Byrne, running unopposed for a one-year term to fill the seat of Mike Hastava, received 638 votes. The Island Park Library Budget also passed by a significant margin, 712-207.