Judy Haas, Ed Plaskon and Steve Sloan elected to board
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Voters ended a two-year drought of school budget approvals by a margin of 2,224 1,740.
The $89.9 million school budget was the first approved since 2001.
Voters also elected former-Township Administrator Judith Haas to the board, with 1,900 votes. Incumbents Ed Plaskon and Steve Sloan won re-election to the board with 1,653 and 1,516 votes, respectively. John Lisowski failed in his re-election bid, garnering 860 votes.
Ms. Haas said she was "very surprised" to win the election.
"I think the message I sent out in terms of a quality education resounded with the people," she said. "I’m really looking forward to this."
Other candidate totals were: George Fenwick-1,050; Michael Detsis 977; and Frank Herbert 839. Harry Janssen, who had ended his bid for the board, received 312 votes, nonetheless.
The budget represents a 5.6 percent increase in spending, or $4.8 million, over last year, adding $350 in school taxes for the owner of property assessed at the township average of $350,000. The proposed tax rate is $1.763, a 6 percent increase over the current $1.663 rate.
A total of 3,964 votes were cast, 21 percent of the 18,846 registered voters.