The proposed school budget for the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District was defeated by the communities by a vote of 1,627-841. As presented, the $46.7 million budget would result in steep tax increases for both communities.
The Board of Education characterized it as a "bare bones" budget. The same old boilerplate, meaning that every item included was vitally important and the operation could not possibly operate with anything else.
According to newspaper reports, Superintendent of Schools Michael Klavon came up with $1 million in cuts which would bring the budget under the state-imposed spending cap. My question is, if this $1 million cut could now be lived with, why was it originally included in the document as presented to the voters?
Not only that, but some parents and the assigned council committee of Matawan-Aberdeen appear to be deferring to the school board as to what items can be cut and the dollar amount. This can only result in token reductions by the board since, theoretically, it would not have included them if it could not have defended them.
I have lived in Aberdeen for more than 30 years and, with few exceptions, have seen school budgets regularly rejected until a modicum of reason and responsibility were restored by the town councils working over the details.
At that time, the philosophy of the councils was to go through the details with a fine-tooth comb and recommend a total and then let the board make its case for rejecting without any prior consultation. I recommend that approach now.
The size of the voter rejection was very significant, which sends the message that just token changes are not acceptable.
Walter L. Born
Aberdeen