School officials unhappy with recent budget defeat
Board president hopes the Township Council won't make any budget cuts
BY JAY BODAS
Staff Writer

WOODBRIDGE - "A shock."

Those were the words Board of Education President Patricia Hardiman used to describe the results of last week's school budget vote.

The proposed $168,203,886 school budget for the 2006-07 year was voted down 3,032 to 2,846, which included 262 absentee ballots.

If the budget had been approved, the school tax rate would have risen 15 cents, from $4.10 to $4.25 for each $100 of assessed valuation.

Residents with a home assessed at the township average of $75,000 would have paid an additional $112.50 in school taxes.

Out of the township's 48,332 registered voters, a total of 5,965, or 12.3 percent went to the polls, not including absentee ballots.

The three incumbents swept the race for board seats. Patricia Hardiman, Iselin, received 2,322 votes. Judy Leidner, Iselin, received 2,434 votes, and Lawrence G. Miloscia, Port Reading, received 2,205 votes. All three were re-elected to three-year terms.

Losing candidates were Marion M. Davies, Colonia, 1,136 votes, Deborah Fugaro, Colonia, 1,513 votes, and James R. Griffin, Fords , 1,693 votes.

Brian F. Small, Port Reading, received 3,319 votes to Woodbridge resident Victoria I. Romanienko's 1,535 votes for the lone one-year term seat.

"I feel excited and honored I get to serve the community again for another three years," said Hardiman. "But I am very disappointed that the budget was not passed. It's a shock."

Board member Lawrence Miloscia said he was "irritated" by the results.

"I'm not very happy," Miloscia said. "The administration struggled with it, and we struggled with it."

The fifth ward was the only one of the township's five wards to support the budget, by a vote of 707 to 644.

Hardiman said the results was especially unfortunate, given that it was a "bare-bones" budget.

"After 34 years of defeated budgets and three years of passing it, we hoped it would continue," she said. "It will now go to the Township Council, and they will look at the line items and recommend what they think should be cut. We are hoping they will not recommend any cuts."

Voters approved the school tax levy over the past three years, ending a 10-year streak of failed budget votes.

Council members made no cuts when they reviewed the last defeated budget in 2002. But in 2001, the council recommended $366,000 in cuts, and in 2000, $1.3 million in cuts.

"For many years where there has been a defeated budget we have hired [a consulting firm] to review the budget and make recommendations," said Township Clerk John Mitch. "It is now up to Council President Pat Osborne to decide whether or not she will have a committee of council members meet or if she will have the council in whole meet to discuss it."

The county schools superintendent's office must receive the final budget numbers by May 19.

"Our last meeting prior to that date is May 16, and that is the last chance the council has to vote on it," Mitch said.