School budgets now in hands of voters

Regional school board voting will take place on April 19.

By: Scott Morgan and William Wichert
   Voters will head to the polls next week to choose who will represent their school districts and whether they approve of those districts’ 2005-2006 budgets.
   The April 19 election features 13 first-timers looking to serve on school boards in the Bordentown Regional, Chesterfield, Florence, Mansfield, New Hanover, North Hanover, Northern Burlington County Regional, and Springfield school districts.

Bordentown Regional

   Three incumbents are running unopposed for three-year seats on the school board that represents Bordentown Township, Bordentown City, and Fieldsboro.
   Incumbent Pauline Glenn is running to represent Fieldsboro, Christine Trogdon is looking to again represent the township, and Joann Dansbury is running for re-election to a seat representing the city.
   A $30.2 million budget for the 2005-2006 school year also will go before voters, asking them to approve a tax decrease in Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro and a tax increase in Bordentown City.
   In Bordentown Township, the tax rate under the proposed budget would be reduced by 8.4 cents to $2.31 per every $100 of assessed property value, meaning an annual savings of $111.41 for the owners of a home assessed at the township average of $132,133.
   Fieldsboro residents will see their tax rate decrease by 4 cents to $2.24 per every $100 of assessed property values. Owners of a home assessed at the borough average of $86,628 will see their tax bills drop by $33.19.
   In Bordentown City, residents will see a tax increase of 6.8 cents to $2.40 per every $100 of assessed property value, meaning that owners of a home assessed at the city average of $101,361 will have to pay an extra $69.78.
   From 3 to 9 p.m., Fieldsboro voters can cast their ballots at the municipal building on Washington Street; Bordentown City residents should go to the Clara Barton School on Crosswicks Street; and township voters should head to Bordentown Regional High School on Dunns Mill Road.
Chesterfield



   Voters Tuesday will decide on a $3.95 million budget that carries a tax rate that is 4.5 cents less than last year’s budget.
   Last year’s tax rate of $1.299 per $100 of assessed property value will drop to $1.257, meaning that the owners of a home assessed at the township average of $212,000 will pay $2,664.84 in school taxes. That figure is down nearly $90 from last year.
   There are two three-year seats open on the board and two candidates to fill them in the township school district. Incumbent Craig Thier, who serves as the school board president, will run for his seat, while newcomer Denise Koetas-Dale looks to fill the seat left vacant by outgoing board member Debbie Kelly.
   Voting will take place from 2 to 9 p.m. at the township Municipal Building, across the street from Chesterfield Elementary School on Bordentown-Chesterfield Road.
Florence



   Voters Tuesday will decide on a $22.28 million budget package that would add an extra $245 to the school tax bill of a resident who owns a home assessed at the $112,000 township average. The new budget will carry a tax rate of $2.306 per $100 of assessed property value, meaning that the owner of a $112,000 home can expect to pay $2,583 in school taxes this year. This tax rate is 21.8 cents higher than last year’s.
   Four men will vie for three three-year seats on the township school board this April. Board members William Federico and Paul Ostrander will seek re-election while newcomers John M. Groze and Tom Waltz will run for their first terms on the board.
   Board member Joe Fitzpatrick will not seek re-election.
   Voting will take place between 2 and 9 p.m. at the following locations:
   Roebling Elementary School on Hornberger Avenue will be open to voters from Ward 1, Districts 1,2 and 3; and Ward 2, Districts 2 and 3.
   Marcella L. Duffy School on West Second Street will be open to voters from Ward 2, District 1 and Ward 3, Districts 1,2 and 3.
Mansfield



   Four newcomers are running unopposed to replace board President Margaret Traino, Vice President Robert Arenge, and member Scott Preidel, who are not seeking re-election, and member Marion Tallon, who recently resigned with two years remaining on her term.
   First-time candidates Scott Barnes, Anthony Meduri Jr. and Eileen Wainwright are vying for three three-year terms, and Joseph Golowski is running to replace Ms. Tallon for her unexpired term.
   Voters will also decide on an $8.7 million budget, which includes a 1-cent decrease in the tax rate. The rate is going from $1.22 to $1.21 per every $100 of assessed property value, meaning a savings of $25 for the owner of a home assessed at $178,000.
   From 2 to 9 p.m., residents from Districts 1, 2 and 3 can vote at the municipal building on Columbus Road, and residents within Districts 4 and 5 should vote at the Homestead at Mansfield development farther down the road.
New Hanover



   Two incumbents and one challenger are running for the two open three-year seats.
   Incumbents Charles Roohr and Robert Clugsten are looking to return to their spots on the seven-member New Hanover Board of Education, while challenger Shawn Titko is trying to gain her first term.
   Voters will also be asked to evaluate the proposed $4.3 million budget for the 2005-2006 school year. This budget includes a tax increase in New Hanover and a tax decrease in Wrightstown.
   The tax rate in New Hanover would increase by 6 cents to $1.57 per every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $130,000 would have to pay an extra $78 as part of an overall school tax bill of $2,041.
   In Wrightstown Borough, residents would see a 4-cent tax decrease, bringing that town’s tax rate down to $1.62 per every $100 of assessed property value. This decrease would mean a reduction of $37.60, or a school tax bill of $1,522.80 for the owner of a home assessed at the borough average of $94,000.
   From 5 to 9 p.m., Wrightstown residents can vote at their municipal building on Saylors Pond Road, and New Hanover voters can go to the municipal building on Hockamick Road.
North Hanover



   Incumbents Michael J. Grant and Michael J. Crawford are running unopposed for two three-year seats on the five-member board.
   The 2005-2006 school year budget to be decided on is an $18.6 million package with a 1-cent increase in the tax rate. Under the new rate of 74.3 cents per every $100 of assessed property value, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $173,000 would pay an extra $17 and an overall elementary school tax bill of $1,285.39.
   Between 2 and 9 p.m., voters should head to the municipal building on Schoolhouse Road to cast their ballots.


Northern Burlington



   On the Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education, which represents Mansfield, Chesterfield, Springfield, and North Hanover townships, two newcomers and two incumbents are running unopposed for the four open seats.
   Of the two open Springfield seats, Linda Pastore is running for a two-year term, which was recently created, and incumbent Kermit Pigott is running for re-election to his three-year seat.
   Roy Johnson, a former board member, is running for a newly created three-year seat for North Hanover, and incumbent Thomas Sensbach is looking for another three-year term representing Mansfield.
   The ballot also will include a $30.6 million budget proposing a tax rate increase in Mansfield Township and rate decreases in the other three sending municipalities.
   Mansfield residents would see their regional school taxes go up if the budget is approved. The tax rate would increase by 10.7 cents to $1.19 per every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $168,000 would pay $185.20 more in taxes as part of an overall bill of $1,999.20.
   The tax rate in North Hanover would be lowered by 1.5 cents to a new rate of 95.9 cents per every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $150,000 would see a reduction of $22.50, and overall regional school taxes of $1,438.50.
   Chesterfield Township would see a tax decrease of 2.1 cents for a total rate of $1.08 per every $100 of assessed property value. This decrease would mean a tax reduction of $44.52 and a new tax bill of $2,289.60 for the owners of a home assessed at the township average of $212,000.
   In Springfield Township, the tax rate would drop by 52.8 cents to a revised rate of 70.3 cents per every $100 of assessed property value, but this decrease does not necessarily mean less taxes for a municipality that has just undergone a reassessment of its property values.
   Despite the tax rate decrease, the owner of a home assessed at the new assessment of $323,500 would still have to pay $2,274.21 in regional school taxes, meaning an increase of about $304.61. The tax burden faced by individual residents would still depend on the new assessed values of their homes.
   Voting for the regional school budget and school board candidates will take place at the local polls in each of the sending municipalities.
Springfield

   Voters Tuesday will decide on a $4.3 million budget plan that carries a tax levy of about 59 cents per $100 of assessed property value. This translates into a school tax bill of about $1,900 for the owner of the average-assessed township property, $323,500. This assessment is new in the township, which revised its average property valuation in March for the first time since 1988. Under last year’s average assessment of $16,000 and last year’s tax rate of $1.092 per $100 of assessed valuation, the owner of the same house paid about $1,750.
   Five men, three of whom are running for the first time, are looking to fill three open seats on the township school board this year.
   Incumbents Ralph E. King and Robert Melillo will seek new terms, but board member John Linton Jr. will not run. Mr. Linton’s departure leaves an open seat that is being sought by newcomers James R. Specca, John C. Ainsworth and Sheldon Douglas Linser.
   All voting will take place between 2 and 9 p.m. at the township Municipal Building on Jacobstown-Georgetown Road.
   
For school board election results visit the Register-News Web site on Tuesday night at www.registernews.com.