Vote yes on April 15
Each year, the citizens of Woodbridge Township are asked to think about the education that we provide for our children when we vote on a school budget.

The school budget is the source of funding for: educating almost 14,000 students; lighting, heating, cleaning and making repairs in 24 schools; maintaining 35 acres of property; and employing more than 19,000 people. The fixed costs for our school district will increase $4,939,135 for next fiscal year. These costs alone dictate a necessary increase in the proposed school budget. Above and beyond fixed costs, we are beholden to improve and expand upon the academic and extracurricular programs we provide for our children. The proposed budget includes curriculum initiatives in language arts, math, science, special education, and foreign language. It includes funding for middle school security and middle school sports.

For years our schools suffered from defeated school budgets that negatively affected the quality of our educational system - stagnant academic programs, deteriorating buildings and grounds, and elimination of extracurricular activities. With the passage of recent budgets and the bond referendum to repair and enhance our school buildings, Woodbridge is back on the right track.

Justly, we can protest that we receive little support from Trenton, with the state contributing only 14 percent in aid to the overall school budget, and that property taxes are not the way to primarily fund education. Reality dictates, however, that our children deserve the best possible educational experience that we can provide.

The essence of an education is to help children learn how to understand themselves and the world in order to develop their potential and talents. Education is a tremendous responsibility for educators, parents and communities. It affects my children, your children and our neighbors' children. It impacts our community and our nation. Supporting the proposed school budget is the right and reasonable thing to do.

Vote yes on April 15 because education matters.

Jacqueline Himmel

Colonia