Elmont School Voters Guide 2010

VOTING

6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Alden Terrace, Clara H. Carlson, Covert Avenue, Dutch Broadway, Gotham Avenue and Stewart Manor elementary schools, and the Elmont Road Administrative Building.

THE BUDGET

The district is proposing a budget of $73,007,988 for the 2010-11 school year, a 2.5 percent increase over the current budget of $71,226,777. The tax levy would rise by 2.72 percent, from $45,020,833 to $46,244,548.

School taxes paid on the average single-family house assessed at $1,079 would increase by 2.74 percent, from $2,888 to $2,967.

The proposed budget does not change staffing levels or programs. The budget includes money for step raises for teachers; the district is in contract negotiations with the teachers' union.

District website:

elmontschools.org

THE CANDIDATES

Three incumbents are running unopposed for three seats, each with three-year terms: Michael A. Jaime, the current board president, Lorraine Ferrigno, the current vice president, and Colleen Mockenhaupt. Two candidates are vying to fill a vacancy created when former board president Frank Ragona died. They are Kevin Denehy and Angel A. Camacho, who was appointed in January as an interim board member. The winner will serve for two years.

Angel A. Camacho

BACKGROUND: Camacho, 61, is a New York City Department of Correction captain and a U.S. Army Security Agency veteran. He and his wife, Wendy, have lived in Elmont for almost 12 years; their three school-age children attend district schools. A soccer and Little League coach, he is founder and director of Elmont American Legion Riders and a member of several fraternal organizations. He took courses at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan and the University of Maryland.

ISSUES: Camacho said he plans to expand cooperation among districts to save money. For example, the district is working to combine bus routes with Sewanhaka, Franklin Square and New Hyde Park districts. Also, Elmont schools bought group insurance for facilities and students with Sewanhaka, he said. With his contacts in the community, Camacho said, he can improve communication between the district and constituents.

Kevin Denehy

BACKGROUND: Denehy, 45, who is making his first run for public office, has lived in the district for 15 years. He is an information technology technician with a national health club chain. He and his wife, Annette, have two children, ages 7 and 10, who attend district schools. Denehy has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the New York Institute of Technology.

ISSUES: Denehy said his past work at a community college and a trade school taught him about management and instruction in an educational setting. He said the district was contending with nearly $2 million in unfunded mandates and that he'd lobby state lawmakers to increase state aid or roll back some requirements. Also, he said he would prioritize raising student scores on state tests.