Matawan-Aberdeen voters reject budget
Published in the Asbury Park Press 04/20/05
By JUSTIN VELLUCCI
KEYPORT BUREAU
Matawan and Aberdeen residents on Tuesday voted down a proposed $41 million tax levy in support of a $56.9 million budget for their regional school system while re-electing one incumbent and choosing two newcomers for the district's Board of Education.
The budget, which was 6 percent larger than the 2004-05 budget, was defeated at the polls 1,519 to 1,140. It garnered support in only one Matawan voting district, where it received 33 "yes" votes and 26 "no" votes.
The budget would have raised $27,908,533.29 in Aberdeen, increasing the school's tax rate there by 5.3 percent, or about 17 cents, from $3.22 to $3.39 per $100 of assessed of property value. In Matawan, the budget would have raised $12,952,109.71 in local taxes, increasing the accompanying tax rate 2.9 percent, or 8.7 cents, from about $3.03 to $3.11 per $100 of assessed property value.
For an Aberdeen property valued at $113,661, the township's average, the school tax was $3,656.474 under the previous rate and would have been $3,853.107 under the new rate, an increase of $196.63.
For a Matawan property valued at $142,916, the borough's average, the school tax was $4,331.78 under the previous rate and would have been $4,444.687 under the new rate, an increase of $112.90.
Voters on Tuesday also rejected two ballot questions that sought to raise an additional $255,000 for new computer and technology equipment and an additional $450,000 for security and lighting upgrades and other additions at several district schools.
Those questions were defeated 1,158 to 1,514 and 1,104 to 1,566, respectively.
Matawan residents elected newcomer Charles F. Kenny, 40, to the regional school board. Though Kenny, an attorney, was running unopposed. The name of Arthur Fumarola — a longtime Board of Education member who died last month after filing his bid for re-election — still appeared on the ballot.
In Aberdeen, voters returned one incumbent to office but voted out a second.
Jan Rubino, a 47-year-old preschool teacher, won her bid for re-election, while newcomer Ken Aitken, 43, a network architect for AT&T, was voted onto the board. Incumbent Bill Marinella, 48, the owner of two area music stores, and challenger Donald Franklin, 37, a Postal Service letter carrier, lost their bids for the two open Aberdeen board seats.
Foot traffic was steady about 3 p.m. Tuesday outside voting districts in Aberdeen's Strathmore section, where residents voiced mixed opinions about the school district and its proposed budget.
"I'm interested in the education of the children, except I'm very annoyed (about) school taxes," said John Sanoudis, 78, a longtime Aberdeen resident who declined to say if he voted for or against the budget. "I think senior citizens should get a discount on the school taxes . . . because they don't have children in the school district."
Nannette Finkel, whose child is a fifth-grader at Strathmore Elementary School, said she voted to support the budget.
"I believe it's important to vote," said Finkel, who declined to provide her age. "And since I have a school-age child, even though it may raise my taxes, it's where I believe our money should be going."
Justin Vellucci: (732) 888-2617 or jvellucci@app.com
Published in the Asbury Park Press 04/20/05
By JUSTIN VELLUCCI
KEYPORT BUREAU
Matawan and Aberdeen residents on Tuesday voted down a proposed $41 million tax levy in support of a $56.9 million budget for their regional school system while re-electing one incumbent and choosing two newcomers for the district's Board of Education.
The budget, which was 6 percent larger than the 2004-05 budget, was defeated at the polls 1,519 to 1,140. It garnered support in only one Matawan voting district, where it received 33 "yes" votes and 26 "no" votes.
The budget would have raised $27,908,533.29 in Aberdeen, increasing the school's tax rate there by 5.3 percent, or about 17 cents, from $3.22 to $3.39 per $100 of assessed of property value. In Matawan, the budget would have raised $12,952,109.71 in local taxes, increasing the accompanying tax rate 2.9 percent, or 8.7 cents, from about $3.03 to $3.11 per $100 of assessed property value.
For an Aberdeen property valued at $113,661, the township's average, the school tax was $3,656.474 under the previous rate and would have been $3,853.107 under the new rate, an increase of $196.63.
For a Matawan property valued at $142,916, the borough's average, the school tax was $4,331.78 under the previous rate and would have been $4,444.687 under the new rate, an increase of $112.90.
Voters on Tuesday also rejected two ballot questions that sought to raise an additional $255,000 for new computer and technology equipment and an additional $450,000 for security and lighting upgrades and other additions at several district schools.
Those questions were defeated 1,158 to 1,514 and 1,104 to 1,566, respectively.
Matawan residents elected newcomer Charles F. Kenny, 40, to the regional school board. Though Kenny, an attorney, was running unopposed. The name of Arthur Fumarola — a longtime Board of Education member who died last month after filing his bid for re-election — still appeared on the ballot.
In Aberdeen, voters returned one incumbent to office but voted out a second.
Jan Rubino, a 47-year-old preschool teacher, won her bid for re-election, while newcomer Ken Aitken, 43, a network architect for AT&T, was voted onto the board. Incumbent Bill Marinella, 48, the owner of two area music stores, and challenger Donald Franklin, 37, a Postal Service letter carrier, lost their bids for the two open Aberdeen board seats.
Foot traffic was steady about 3 p.m. Tuesday outside voting districts in Aberdeen's Strathmore section, where residents voiced mixed opinions about the school district and its proposed budget.
"I'm interested in the education of the children, except I'm very annoyed (about) school taxes," said John Sanoudis, 78, a longtime Aberdeen resident who declined to say if he voted for or against the budget. "I think senior citizens should get a discount on the school taxes . . . because they don't have children in the school district."
Nannette Finkel, whose child is a fifth-grader at Strathmore Elementary School, said she voted to support the budget.
"I believe it's important to vote," said Finkel, who declined to provide her age. "And since I have a school-age child, even though it may raise my taxes, it's where I believe our money should be going."
Justin Vellucci: (732) 888-2617 or jvellucci@app.com
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