The Syosset and Jericho 1999 school budget votes and board elections came and went on Tuesday, May 18 without any surprises or suspense.

As expected, both districts' school and library budgets passed with ease. And because the board of education candidates ran unopposed, everyone was a guaranteed winner. The only race in either district, a quietly run library board of trustees race in Jericho, culminated in a victory for Nancy Feldman.

In Jericho, voter turnout may have been extremely light, but not the support for the district's $49.97 million budget, which was approved 488 to 172. The Jericho Public Library budget passed with an even greater margin of success, 516 to 128.

A pleased Jericho Superintendent Henry Grishman remarked, "Passage of the 1999-2000 school year budget enables our district to fulfill new state graduation and assessments requirements, effectively accommodate increasing student enrollment and implement new program requirements, including the infusion of technology.

"The board of education continually strives to ensure high quality and innovative educational programs for our children in a fiscally responsible way. The community as a whole, by passing the budget, endorses the efforts of our board," he continued.

In welcoming the new budget, Jericho residents accepted a $1.485/$100 hike in taxes.

Syosset voters embraced their district's 1999-2000 school budget by approximately a two-to-three margin, 1,760 to 913. The library budget also passed with flying colors, 1,939 to 692.

Superintendent Carole Hankin reacted to the successful outcome, stating, "The strong support of the board of education, PTA and community for this budget enabled us to pass the 1999-2000 budget with an overwhelming majority. We are gratified that the residents of Syosset value the high quality of education that we provide for our children."

"The approval of this budget will allow us to continue our outstanding educational programs, initiate a variety of new courses and programs, and provide for the improvement of equipment and buildings," she continued.

The budget for next year is set at $91.88 million. Residents will pay $2.197/$100 more in taxes next year.

Three seats were available this year on Syosset's school board, but only three candidates came forward - incumbents Anthony Alizzi and Ellen Meller, and Joint PTA Council President Maria Anderson, replacing John Cullen. Meller received 1,971 votes; Anderson, 1,992; and Alizzi, 2,070.

On the library board, incumbent Shirley Lang won another five-year term with 2,039 votes and Brian Goldstein, with 1,967 votes, earned a one-year term, replacing a trustee who left before his term expired.

In Jericho, school board Vice President Robert Goldsmith, a board member for the past nine years, will return for his fourth three-year term after receiving 486 votes. Newcomer Barbara Krieger, with 497 votes, will begin her first term on July 1, replacing Flora Greenberg, who vacated her seat.

In the race for library trustee between Nancy Feldman and Elinor Goldstein, both of whom were vying for their first term, the former was victorious by a 313 to 237 margin.