Voters Reject Most School Budgets

For the first time since 1976, New Jersey voters rejected a majority of proposed school budgets. Only 41.3 percent of the 538 proposed budgets received voter approval in yesterday’s Annual School Election, according to unofficial results released on Wednesday by NJSBA. That figure compares with a 73.3 percent approval rate last year.

“This has been a year unlike any we’ve seen before,” said Marie S. Bilik, NJSBA executive director. “Local boards of education did their best with the hand they were dealt.  The election results should not be viewed as a rejection of public education or school programs.  It’s clear that voters were reacting to many concerns, including the poor economy and high property taxes.”

Local school boards had to develop budgets in the wake of two unexpected and large cuts in state aid, according to Bilik.  NJSBA surveys showed that 93 percent of school budgets included staff layoffs, with 85 percent involving cuts to teaching staff.  Even with staff and program reductions, many school districts had to propose tax increases to make up for some of the lost aid.

Next Steps Defeated school district budgets will now be reviewed by municipal governing bodies in consultation with the school board.  The municipality must reach a decision on the 2010-2011 school tax levy by May 19. The process is a complicated one, influenced by state law and regulation, as well as current levels of taxation and spending, according to Bilik.

“Many school boards and municipal governments will be going through the review process for the first time,” she said.  “It’s going to be a difficult job, since the budgets presented to voters already reflected layoffs, program cuts and service reductions.  That’s why communication and cooperation between municipalities and school districts will be crucial over the next few weeks.”

Not only did voters decide 538 local school budgets on Tuesday, but they also selected candidates to fill 1,619 school board seats.

Second Questions In addition to the budget questions, six school boards presented voters with second ballot questions to spend above state-imposed tax caps.  All six were rejected. The questions requested items that the state may not consider part of a core education, but which the community may feel is important. The combined cost of all six districts’ additional ballot budget proposals was $2,075,048.

Second budget questions were rejected in Medford Lakes (Burlington County); Brielle (Monmouth County); Boonton Township (Morris County); Madison (Morris County); Stanhope (Sussex County); and Sparta Township (Sussex County), which had two questions that were both rejected.

A 2008 law requires a 60-percent supermajority of participating voters to approve a second ballot question. No other public question in New Jersey, not even a Constitutional amendment, requires approval of a supermajority of voters.

Bond Referendums The April school election is one of five dates that school boards can use to ask voters to approve a school construction question. Seven school boards had bond proposals totaling $69.9 million for new schools, additions and renovations.

Voters in four of the seven districts with bond referendums approved nearly $38.26 million in school construction. Unlike second questions, bond referendums require only approval by a simple majority of voters. The districts with construction questions include: Springfield Township in Burlington County – two questions, both rejected; Lawnside in Camden County – approved; Bloomfield in Essex County – approved; North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional in Hunterdon County – rejected;    Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County – approved; Brick Township in Ocean County – rejected; and Union Township in Union County – approved

Non-Monetary Questions  Voters in three school districts decided whether to reduce the size of their school board from nine members to seven members. Weymouth Township in Atlantic County rejected the question; Woodlynne in Camden County and High Bridge in Hunterdon County both approved the question.

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