Don’t forget to vote in Warren County school elections todayBy Kevin M. LechiskiApril 20, 2010 Up for grabs today in Warren County are the fate of each school district budget and several contested board of education races. Around the county, school administrators scrambled to contend with deep cuts in state aid from the administration of Gov. Chris Christie. As a result, many school districts are proposing cuts to staff and/or programs. In Hackettstown, school officials said they have been able to maintain the district’s academic programs despite the 2010-11 $28.5 million budget calling for the reduction of 19 staff members from various areas. The district is losing about $1.5 million in state aid and has reduced the proposed budget by more than $1 million from 2009-10. According to Hackettstown school officials, a town-wide re-evaluation last year will result in lower school taxes for the average homeowner. Like Hackettstown, the Great Meadows Regional School District’s proposed $18.8 million budget is calling for the cut of numerous teaching and other positions. Under the budget, down by $1 million from last year, taxes would increase by 10 cents over Liberty Township’s rate and 8 cents for Independence Township. The district is losing about $950,000 in state aid. In Belvidere, a $600,000 cut in state aid has resulted in the district calling for several staff cuts. Under the proposed $12.1 million budget, the owner of a home assessed at $150,000 would see a school tax increase of $45. In Warren Hills, the district is proposing the cut of middle school sports programs to contend with the deep state aid cut. Under the proposed $32 million budget, the district tax would increase, for each $100,000 of assessed property, by $78 in Franklin Township, $58 in Washington Township and $29 in Washington Borough. The tax rate in Mansfield would decrease by $2 on each $100,000 of assessed property value. The North Warren Regional School District’s proposed $16.2 million budget represents a decrease of $1.2 million from 2009-10. School officials said this cut is being accomplished without cutting programs or teachers. Under the proposed budget, Hardwick and Knowlton would see small tax rate decrease while the Frelinghuysen and Blairstown rates would increase nominally. In addition to deciding the fate of their respective school district budgets, voters will cast ballots in several opposed board of education races. Below is a listing of all the board of education candidates, listed alphabetically by school district: ALLAMUCHY BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS, 1 UNEXPIRED 1 YEAR TERM ALPHA BOARD OF EDUCATION (5 to 9PM) –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS BELVIDERE BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS BLAIRSTOWN BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS, 1 UNEXPIRED 2 YEAR TERM FRANKLIN BOARD OF EDUCATION – 3
FULL 3 YEAR TERMS, 1 UNEXPIRED TWO YEAR TERM, & 1
UNEXPIRED ONE YEAR TERM FRELINGHUYSEN BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS GREAT MEADOWS REGIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
(5 to 9PM) GREENWICH BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS HACKETTSTOWN BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS HARMONY BOARD OF EDUCATION – 3
FULL 3 YEAR TERMS HOPE BOARD OF EDUCATION – 2 FULL
3 YEAR TERMS – 1 UNEXPIRED 1 YEAR TERM KNOWLTON BOARD OF EDUCATION – 3
FULL 3 YEAR TERMS LOPATCONG BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS MANSFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS NORTH WARREN REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OXFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION – 2 FULL
3 YEAR TERMS PHILLIPSBURG BOARD OF EDUCATION –
3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS POHATCONG BOARD OF EDUCATION (5 to 9PM)
– 3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS WARREN HILLS REGIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON BOROUGH BOARD OF EDUCATION
– 3 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP BOARD OF EDUCATION
– 2 FULL 3 YEAR TERMS WHITE BOARD OF EDUCATION – 3 FULL
3 YEAR TERMS ©2010 The Express-Times |