On May 20, voters in the Massapequa School District approved a 2008-09 budget, while electing Christine Lupetin Perrino and Jane Ryan to its board of education.

According to numbers posted on the school district's web site, the budget passed by a 2,930 to 2,395 margin.

Meanwhile, the Board of Education race, which featured seven candidates for two at-large seats, saw its closest election ever, at least for the second seat.

Ms. Perrino was re-elected to a third term with 1,765 votes. However, Ms. Ryan defeated another challenger, Gary Bennett, by a one-vote margin. Ms. Ryan received 1,691 votes, barely edging out Bennett, who had the support of 1,690 voters.

Bennett told The Massapequan Observer that he had not yet decided whether to contest the results. However, he was bitter about how the election was conducted. "The election is tainted," he said. "I feel cheated. The absentee ballots were not done properly."

In a statement District Clerk Anne Marie Bellizzi said: "The voting process was conducted consistent with applicable law. There is an appeals process that Mr. Bennett may utilize, and subject to any formal notification we receive, we will, of course, comply with the process."

For the second election in a row, a BOE incumbent was defeated in a re-election bid. Richard Krebs saw his tenure on the BOE end, as he came in third in the voting with 1,481 votes. Krebs served on the BOE from 1994-1997 and later, from 2002 to 2008.

The rest of the vote total was as follows:

Leslie Dowell: 1,218

Gary Slavin: 1,036

Stephen Archipolo: 598

Archipolo's campaign was unique in that he is a graduating senior at Massapequa High School.

The 2008-09 budget called for a 6.26 percent increase and a tax levy increase of 5.44 percent.

Total spending for the proposed budget was $166,369,911. The total tax levy is $135,925,774.

The district's estimated 2008-09 reserved fund balance is $11,925,451, down from the $12,250,451 in last year's budget. The unreserved fund balance in the proposed budget stands at $3,396,278, up from the $3,146,278 that was in the 2007-08 document.

Under the approved budget, personnel at the district's Central Office Administration will receive pay increases totaling three percent. The superintendent's salary would be $240,000 per annum.

According to school officials, district enrollment has remained remarkably steady, standing at 8,230, only up one student from the 8,229 in the 2007-08 school year.

In addition to the school district budget vote and the BOE elections, the Massapequa Library Budget was also approved, receiving 3,113 yes votes, and 2,043 nay votes. Rosemary Gensler ran unopposed for the open library seat, receiving 2,884 votes.