Massapequa School Budget Preview, Candidates On The Ballot For 2026-27

MASSAPEQUA, NY — Massapequa voters will head to the polls Tuesday, May 19 to vote on a $254 million budget, a $4 million capital spend and a pair of open school board seats.

The full budget amounts to $254,669,633, while the capital expenditure, coming out of an existing reserve fund, will finance audiovisual upgrades, science classroom renovations, high school broadcast studio improvements, replacement of the high school gym floor, upgrades to the high school stadium and additional security measures. The capital expenditure, district officials said, has no bearing on the district’s tax levy.

Further information on the district's proposed budget can be found here. The $254 million budget signifies a 3.9 percent tax increase, which falls about $1 million shy of the maximum tax increase allowed by the state. The tax-cap limit in Massapequa is elevated this year due to some debt service on bonds approved in 2023. Those bonds financed the installation of new boilers, playground equipment, roofs, athletic fields and energy upgrades, many of which are already completed, district officials said.

“The Massapequa Experience ensures that every student can follow his or her own personal path to success,” Superintendent Dr. William Brennan said. “Preserving these vast opportunities guided our planning of the proposed 2026-2027 budget. Beyond a dynamic academic and co-curricular program, we remain committed to designing innovative, supportive, and learner-centered spaces that empower our learners and leaders to reach their fullest potential.”

The school board seats are currently held by Cher Lepre and Danielle Ocuto, both running for re-election, with Bobby Bonnet and Lynn Russo each running independently to unseat them. Ocuto has been on the board since 2023, while Lepre has been on the board since 2019.

In conversations with Patch, Bonnet, Lepre and Ocuto all highlighted their commitment to student outcomes and fiscal responsibility.

Voting on the budget and school board seats will take place Tuesday, May 19 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Massapequa High School, Fairfield Elementary School, Lockhart Elementary School and McKenna Elementary School.

Stay tuned for full interviews with the candidates on Patch.