NORTH BERGEN AND GUTTENBERG – In North Bergen voters overwhelmingly rejected the $112.7 million school budget Wednesday, with 3,219 voting it down and only 644 approving it. The budget will now be sent to the North Bergen Commissioners, who will look for further cuts before approving it.
Surprisingly, since it has been a number of years since residents have approved it, Guttenberg’s $14.4 million school budget passed with a vote of 178, while 104 voted it down.
For both North Bergen and Guttenberg, incumbents prevailed in the Board of Education election held on April 27.
In North Bergen incumbents Elaine Nicoliello, Luis Diaz, and Kanaiyalal Patel received more than 4,000 votes. Challengers Cesar Vega, Adrian Cepero, and Herbert Shaw received 391, 276, and 306 votes each.
In Guttenberg incumbents Gonzalo Perez and Michael Baruch, along with newcomer Delores Loppe, all ran unopposed and won their seats, with only around 671 total votes being placed. – Tricia Tirella