Boro Council to review failed school budget

EATONTOWN - Borough voters rejected the $21 million school spending plan at polls last week for the third consecutive year.

The 2008-09 school budget was defeated by a margin of 89 votes, with 377 residents voting against the plan and 288 voting in favor of it at the polls on April 15.

"I believe that it was a very responsible budget we were offering and a great deal for our students," said Eatontown Superintendent of Schools Barbra Struble.

"I really thought it was going to go through," she added.

The budget called for residents to raise a $13 million tax levy. The spending plan called for a tax increase of 3.76 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation.

With the average borough home assessed at $399,055, taxes would have increased $39.91 annually under the spending plan.

According to School BusinessAdministrator Dominic Carrea, the proposed 2008- 09 budget was calling for a less significant tax increase than the previous year's budget.

The 2007-08 budget increased taxes $151 a year, which is steeper than the proposed $39.91 tax increase the Board of Ed- ucation was asking for this year, Carrea said.

The Borough Council will now review the school spending plan to determine where cuts can be made to lower the tax levy. "I think the council will be responsible in what they do," Struble said. "I believe they will do the right thing."

The Borough Council is not required to make any changes to the budget, although it can, if it chooses, reduce or even increase the amount of money the spending plan called for.

Should the changes council makes to the budget be deemed detrimental to district operations, the Board of Education may appeal the council's decision to the state commissioner of education, who would make the final decision on any revisions to the budget.

Borough residents also voted for three incumbents to return on the Board of Education for another three-year term.

Incumbents Stacy Lastella, Mark Reagan and Mark Kramer received 428, 394 and 392 votes, respectively, at the polls.

Newcomer Tina Curtis was challenging the incumbents for a seat on the ninemember board and garnered 324 votes on Election Day.