"Notice they can't get the number's right?"
Incumbents prevail in Matawan-Aberdeen
Published in the Asbury Park Press 4/22/04
$54M budgetm 2nd spending plan fail
By RODNEY POINT-DU-JOUR
KEYPORT BUREAU
ABERDEEN -- Voters gave three incumbents new three-year terms on the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional school district's school board on Tuesday, but rejected the district's $41.6 million tax levy by more than 600 ballots.
Voters were asked to approve the levy to support a $54.3 million budget. The tax levy was rejected by Matawan and Aberdeen voters 1,704 to 1,026, including absentee ballots. It would have increased the school tax rate for Aberdeen property owners by 28.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and by 26 cents for Matawan property owners.
The increases would have meant more than $300 in annual taxes for owners of average homes in both Aberdeen and Matawan.
In a separate question, voters were also asked to approve $900,000 to offer students more extracurricular activities and purchase additional equipment. That proposal was also rejected by voters, 1,743 to 1,216. The tally includes absentee ballots.
Board members Catherine T. Zavorskas and Carolyn Williams defeated challengers Donald Franklin and Kenneth Aitken to represent Aberdeen on the board. Williams drew the second highest number of ballots with 938, edging out Aitken by 98 votes, including absentee ballots.
Board member Lawrence O'Connell also won another three years on the board to represent Matawan by defeating Helene Giordanelli 583 to 361, including absentee ballots.
While she's happy to be re-elected to her seat, Zavorskas, who drew most votes -- 931 -- now faces working with the Aberdeen and Matawan councils, which must decide whether and how much to cut the failed budget.
"Hopefully, we will come to an agreeable compromise," said Zavorskas, who remains optimistic that the governing bodies will restore some of the $986,890 referendum to the budget.
James Head, 60, of Inglewood Lane, Aberdeen, said he voted in favor of the tax levy. Although he supported the budget, the state needs to reevaluate how public schools are funded through property taxes, Head said after voting at the Aberdeen Hose and Chemical Company building.
"The district has a lot of issues, and they need the money to fix it," Head said. "I do think we need to find a better way to fund our schools."
Sharon Sebold of Idlebrook Lane, Aberdeen, also supported the budget.
"My daughter is in the school district, and I feel it's important to support our children's education," she said.
Rodney Point-Du-Jour: (732) 888-2619 or rpoint@app.com
Incumbents prevail in Matawan-Aberdeen
Published in the Asbury Park Press 4/22/04
$54M budgetm 2nd spending plan fail
By RODNEY POINT-DU-JOUR
KEYPORT BUREAU
ABERDEEN -- Voters gave three incumbents new three-year terms on the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional school district's school board on Tuesday, but rejected the district's $41.6 million tax levy by more than 600 ballots.
Voters were asked to approve the levy to support a $54.3 million budget. The tax levy was rejected by Matawan and Aberdeen voters 1,704 to 1,026, including absentee ballots. It would have increased the school tax rate for Aberdeen property owners by 28.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and by 26 cents for Matawan property owners.
The increases would have meant more than $300 in annual taxes for owners of average homes in both Aberdeen and Matawan.
In a separate question, voters were also asked to approve $900,000 to offer students more extracurricular activities and purchase additional equipment. That proposal was also rejected by voters, 1,743 to 1,216. The tally includes absentee ballots.
Board members Catherine T. Zavorskas and Carolyn Williams defeated challengers Donald Franklin and Kenneth Aitken to represent Aberdeen on the board. Williams drew the second highest number of ballots with 938, edging out Aitken by 98 votes, including absentee ballots.
Board member Lawrence O'Connell also won another three years on the board to represent Matawan by defeating Helene Giordanelli 583 to 361, including absentee ballots.
While she's happy to be re-elected to her seat, Zavorskas, who drew most votes -- 931 -- now faces working with the Aberdeen and Matawan councils, which must decide whether and how much to cut the failed budget.
"Hopefully, we will come to an agreeable compromise," said Zavorskas, who remains optimistic that the governing bodies will restore some of the $986,890 referendum to the budget.
James Head, 60, of Inglewood Lane, Aberdeen, said he voted in favor of the tax levy. Although he supported the budget, the state needs to reevaluate how public schools are funded through property taxes, Head said after voting at the Aberdeen Hose and Chemical Company building.
"The district has a lot of issues, and they need the money to fix it," Head said. "I do think we need to find a better way to fund our schools."
Sharon Sebold of Idlebrook Lane, Aberdeen, also supported the budget.
"My daughter is in the school district, and I feel it's important to support our children's education," she said.
Rodney Point-Du-Jour: (732) 888-2619 or rpoint@app.com
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