Voters In South Jersey Approve Majority Of School Budgets
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) - Voters appear to be over the rebellion they showed in last year's school district budget elections. Unofficial results show budgets are passing in a majority of South Jersey districts -- a two-percent cap on tax increases may be the reason.
Last year, for the first time in at least 35 years, voters rejected a majority of budgets in the annual school board elections, after Governor Chris Christie led the charge against property tax increases.
Christie has since imposed a two percent cap on property tax increases so districts were offering austere budgets, to begin with.
In the Kingsway District of Gloucester County, superintendent Jim Lavendar says the cuts were devastating.
"We're certainly in dire circumstances, given the growth that we're dealing with, we can't keep up, we can't meet the needs of our students going forward."
Residents seemed to agree and showed their support at the polls.
"I mean something has to be done to raise the money, we're not getting the money from the state, and we kind of have to," one man said. "It's tight for everybody but we still gotta do what we need to do, for the kids."
"Our kids are worth every dime. We'll pay a few dollars extra to make sure our kids have all the amenities."
Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio
