Cranbury ok’s spending plan.
By: Matt Kirdahy
Cranbury voters overwhelmingly approved a $10.7 million school operating budget Tuesday night and sent two incumbents back to the school board.
Nearly 68 percent of voters backed the budget, which was approved by a 315-149 vote.
Lynn Schwarz was the top vote-getter, garnering 326 votes. Joan Rue, the current school board president, was re-elected to the board with 317 votes. She has served on the board since 1980. Austin Schraudenbach was elected to his third term with 289 votes.
Nina Visconti-Phillips received 197 votes in her unsuccessful bid.
"I’m grateful and looking forward to working with the board this year and seeing the end of the expansion project," Ms. Rue said. "We will continue to be as efficient in our work as possible and I thank everyone for supporting the budget."
Ms. Visconti-Phillips said she plans on staying involved in the school district and said she would consider running again in the future.
Ms. Schwarz and Mr. Schraudenbach were unavailable for comment after the election.
The three winners will be sworn in Tuesday, when the board will elect officers and appoint professional staff.
School officials were pleased with the budget’s approval.
"We are extremely pleased," Business Administrator Brian DeLucia said. "It’s great to see that the community supported the school system once again."
The plan carries a tax increase of 15.64 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That will make the school tax rate $2.17. That means the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $215,000 would pay $4,665 in school taxes, an increase of $336.
Voters speaking outside the Cranbury Firehouse, where township polling places were located, said they generally try to support the school and trust the school board with their tax money.
"It’s high, but we live in an expensive time and an expensive area," said Don Luck of South Main Street. "We pay for the top schools."
Barran and Lauren Grigg of Hanley Court also said the budget was large, but that kind of spending was needed if Cranbury students were to get they same level of education at both Cranbury School and Princeton High School they have in the past.
Ellen Yochelson of South Main Street accepted growing costs as necessary.
"Education is crucial," she said. "You have to understand the cost of education. Some people may object to increased costs, but might not understand how many government stipulations that are involved."
Marcia Young of Washington Drive agreed.
"If you must progress, you have to pay for it," she said.

