As the last voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s Board of Education election, current school board members openly questioned whether the proposed $32.18 million budget would pass.
“I’m worried it’s going to fail,” said Board of education Trustee Tom Troyer at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday night inside the Huber Street School. Troyer said he knew several older voters who planned to reject the budget, as it relies on a 2.5 percent tax increase to partly make up for a proposed cut in state aid by Gov. Chris Christie. Had the budget been rejected, it could have led to cuts in non-mandated programs.
But by a vote of 1,153 to 818, the budget for the 2010-2011 school year passed.
Voters also selected three new Board of Education trustees: John “Jack” McStowe, Salvatore “Sal” Manente, and Mary Ann Weiner.
Under Gov. Christie’s $820 million in education cuts, the Secaucus School District lost every penny of the $1.6 million in annual aid it typically receives from Trenton. The school system will also be required to spend its $800,000 surplus to offset the cut.
“This sends a message to Trenton.” – Jack McStowe
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One old, two new
Concerns about the budget somewhat overshadowed the campaign for school board. Six candidates competed Tuesday for three seats on the nine-member board.
McStowe, the current board president, won his reelection bid. Manente, a former 3rd Ward Town Councilman, also won, as did Weiner, a first-time candidate.
On May 1, Manente and Weiner will replace current board members Frank Trombetta and Anthony Gerbasio, each of whom decided not to seek reelection.
McStowe, Manente, and Weiner will each serve three-year terms as trustees.
“It feels wonderful. I just want to thank everybody for their faith in me and for coming out and supporting me – and supporting the budget as well,” Weiner commented moments after the election results were announced. She said “getting everybody working together” and “being accountable to taxpayers” will be among her priorities.
A subdued Manente also highlighted school finances Tuesday night.
“The budget is still the biggest issue we’ll be faced with,” he said. “We’ll continue to look at the budget to see if there’s any fat that can still be trimmed so that we can relieve the taxpayers of some of the burden they’re facing.”
McStowe said he was “ecstatic” that the budget passed Tuesday, adding, “This sends a message to Trenton.” He said he was also “glad that people had enough faith in me to bring me back for another three years so I can continue the work I’ve been doing.”
Manente garnered the most ballots, receiving 950 votes. McStowe and Weiner received almost identical support. McStowe won 899 votes to Weiner’s 897.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli stayed out of the race and did not give a public endorsement.
There was, however, support from the teachers’ union for Patricia Belenski, the candidate who placed fourth in the race.
The losing candidates each lost by more than 100 votes. Belenski received 777 votes, while Joseph Lewis received 758 votes. Francis O’Keefe trailed far behind all the candidates with 595 votes. This was the first campaign for each of these three candidates.
Four voters wrote in their own Board of Education selections.
About 26 percent of Secaucus voters participated in Tuesday’s election, which is fairly typical for school board races, according to Town Clerk Michael Marra.
Victory for superintendent
Already Tuesday’s outcome is being viewed as a victory for Randina, who has at times been at odds with the Secaucus Education Association (SEA), the local teachers’ union.
The SEA has been critical of Randina’s spending priorities, promotion decisions, new hires, and emphasis on bringing new technology to the classroom.
At a Board of Education meeting in September, for example, SEA President Robert Anderson said the administration was “spending in the wrong areas.”
Randina has repeatedly countered these charges with a detailed accounting of spending cuts that have been made through attrition, consolidating staff positions, and other money-saving measures.
The schools superintendent lobbied hard for passage of the budget, and she went to great lengths to point out ways the district plans to save money next year.
Had voters rejected the spending plan, it might have been an indication that residents share the SEA’s view and are concerned about spending in the district. Yet by approving a budget that was closely tied to Randina, at least one trustee said Tuesday’s results are “a vote of confidence” in the superintendent and her leadership.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.