Defeated school budgets in Warren County await further cuts by municipal officials

School districts across Warren County presented budgets to voters Tuesday after cutting dozens of staff positions and eliminating various programs, from middle school sports to transportation services.

A majority of voters in 15 districts still said no and now those proposed spending plans could shrink even further.

"It's extremely distressing," Greenwich Township School District Superintendent Maria Eppolite said Wednesday. "We've already reduced greatly. Now we may be forced to reduce additionally."

The failed school budgets now fall into the hands of municipal officials, who have until May 19 to decide on any reductions in the proposed school tax levies. The governing bodies also could opt to leave the rejected budgets intact.

Some municipal officials in districts with failed budgets said Wednesday they must heed the public's call for cuts.

"A message has been sent that they're not happy with the budget," Hope Township Mayor Tim McDonough said. "Enough hasn't been cut. The people of Hope want more so we're going to have to look at that."

Budgets rejected all over

Out of the 22 school districts in Warren County, 31.8 percent of proposed budgets passed Tuesday, marking the lowest passage rate out of the last nine school elections. Hunterdon County school districts fared worse with only 17.9 percent of school budgets passing, also the lowest approval in the last nine years.

Statewide, about 59 percent of proposed school budgets were rejected, marking the first time a majority of spending plans was dismissed since 1976, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association.

Hackettstown Superintendent Robert Gratz attributed Tuesday's results, in part, to the overall economic climate facing voters. School funding has been politicized over the last several years and is now connected to the politics of tax relief, Gratz said.

Gratz said it may take a few years to determine the budget priorities that the public is looking for.

"This issue's going to be a number of years before it's resolved statewide," Gratz said.

Christie effect debated

Eppolite laid the blame at the feet of Gov. Chris Christie, who had called on New Jersey residents to reject budgets in districts where teachers had not accepted a wage freeze. No teachers in Warren County have agreed to do so.

Although Greenwich Township schools spend less per pupil than similar districts, Christie has made it seem like all districts are not acting in a frugal manner and that teachers are to blame, Eppolite said.

"He paints with a very broad brush," Eppolite said.

Blaming the governor is unfair, according to Hackettstown Mayor Michael Lavery. Tuesday's election results are not only a referendum on school districts, but on government spending in general, Lavery said. Town officials now have an obligation to cut the defeated school budget, he said.

"We can't afford to continue to operate the way we've operated in years past. People want less government," Lavery said. "I support the governor. I think he's doing exactly what he has to do."

Independence Township Mayor Robert Giordano said he was torn over how to respond to the voters' rejection of the Great Meadows Regional School District budget. While he believes municipal officials must answer the call of voters, Giordano said the decision remains difficult when children could be hurt in the process.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Giordano said. "It's going to be rough one."