To the editor:
I would like to express my support for the school budget. The Board of Education faced many uncontrollable obstacles when drafting its budget.
The district anticipates another 226 students next year, bringing total enrollment to 8,802. Increased enrollment means additional teachers to maintain reasonable class sizes and provide necessary support staff.
Utility costs and health benefits continue to skyrocket. The district must provide for items like this in its budget.
The state has not lived up to its responsibility to fund our schools. Our state aid remains frozen while our district continues to grow.
I also support the second question on non-mandatory or courtesy busing. This will continue to allow us to bus children that live less than two miles from school and to have late buses for the middle schools and high school to allow students to participate in afterschool activities, such as band and sports.
These are services that parents and students have come to rely on.
Although no one welcomes a tax increase, I plan to support this budget and our schools. I encourage other South Brunswick voters to do the same.
The Boards continues to provide for our children in every way possible, while being as fiscally responsible as possible during these hard economic times. Please join me in voting yes on Tuesday.
Victoria Barone
Dayton
Ms. Barone is the president of the South Brunswick Preschool PTO

