Mae Rhine
It’s heartening to see the recent interest in our communities in running for public office.
Tuesday’s school election shows contests in every local district but Stockton.
But Stockton citizens will have choices in this June’s primary election when they can select from a field of three candidates for mayor as well as three for the two available seats on the Borough Council.
And there are contests in West Amwell and Delaware Township as well in the June 4 primary.
We’d like to see this interest continue at the polls. The voters should get out Tuesday and make a careful, informed choice.
We’re concerned about the South Hunterdon school budget, in particular. If voters believe the budget contains fat, they should have made that clear during budget workshops and the public hearing on the budget. And they also have the right to vote against it if, despite their complaints, things weren’t changed to their satisfaction.
But to vote against any budget because of anger or any other emotion is wrong. South Hunterdon officials could have appealed the failed referendum March 25 and won, most likely but they didn’t. They respected the voters’ wishes and, instead, put only $500,000 toward some of the repairs desperately needed at the aging high school.
What some voters may not realize is that these repairs are going to cost them more in the long run because the repairs have to be paid for in one year, not spread out over 25 or more.
Be that as it may, it’s time to start doing something about the problems at the high school. We urge voters to approve all the budgets, including South Hunterdon’s. Those budgets have shown great respect to the taxpayers of this area. Some even have lower tax rates.
It’s time for the voters to return that respect and vote with clear, informed minds, not with their hearts.
