Schools
Freehold School Board Elections Move to November
Both the Freehold Borough and Freehold Township education boards agreed to the annual budget vote and move their school board elections to November.
Freehold residents will only head to the voting booth once in 2012.
Both and ’s Board of Education meetings passed resolutions during their Board of Education meetings this week, which eliminated voting on annual budgets and moved school board elections to November along with the general election.
Freehold Borough BOE Business Administrator and Board Secretary Patrick DeGeorge explained that with Public Law 2011, Chapter 202 in place, there is no need for a Budget vote since the law is designed to protect taxpayers by limiting tax increases to two percent. With this law in place, districts are required to be more efficient and function without raising taxes more than the two percent tax cap.
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“The governor is saying that they are putting a law in place with a tax cap to protect taxpayers and make districts more accountable and to be even more efficient than they already are,” said De George. “If those two things are adhered to, there really shouldn’t be a vote since the Governor is saying you’re allowed two percent and no more, and the districts are living within that.”
Although there will no longer be a vote held on the budget, DeGeorge further explained that the board will still have to hit all budget deadlines, minus the actual budget itself.
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With the budget no longer being voted on, elections in April would only be held to vote on school board elections. To save the district money, both boards agreed to pass the resolution that also moves board election to November along with the general election.
“Regarding the movement of the election from April to November, the New Jersey State Board of Elections has said it appears that the districts can anticipate a cost savings by moving the election to November, where those not moving to November can see an increase in election costs,” explained Borough Board of Education President Annette Jordan.
The next Borough BOE meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13, while the next Township BOE meeting will be at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14.
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