BREAKING NEWS

School budget, second question approved in Princeton; WW-P voters OK spending plan; Montgomery soundly rejects budget and second question

   Voters in the Princeton Regional and West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional school districts approved their budgets for the 2005-2006 school year Tuesday.
   Princeton voters also gave thumbs up to a second question on the ballot that will allow the district to exceed its state-mandated budget cap by $1.9 million.
   In Montgomery, voters soundly rejected the budget, and defeated a second question to fund laptop computers for all high school students and teachers by an even wider margin.
   In Princeton, the $67.1 million budget was approved by a vote of 1,253-699, and the $1.9 million second question by a narrower margin of 1,085-868. The budget won approval in Princeton Borough by a vote of 342-220 and in Princeton Township by 911-479. The second question carried in the borough by a vote of 294-272, and in the township by 791-596.
   Board members Michael Mostoller (borough) and Jeffrey Spear and Walter Bliss (township) were returned to office without opposition.
   In West Windsor-Plainsboro, the $136.24 million budget was approved by a vote of 1,664-960. The budget won approval in both municipalities, West Windsor by a vote of 1,234-632 and Plainsboro by 430-328.
   Elected to the two seats on the regional Board of Education from West Windsor were Richard Kaye and Randall Tucker, with 1,239 and 1,064 votes, respectively. Adam Shrager trailed in the balloting with 738 votes. In Plainsboro, incumbent Patricia Bocarsly was returned to the board without opposition.
   In Montgomery, the $67.9 million budget was rejected by a nearly two-to-one margin, with 1,331 votes in favor of the budget and 2,559 against. The $391,705 second question lost by an overwhelming six-to-one margin, with only 562 voters approving the expenditure and 3,327 rejecting it.
   In the race for three seats on the Board of Education, newcomer Charles Jacey led the field with 2,569 votes. He will be joined on the board by David Pettit and Arun Rimal, who received 2,547 and 1,853 votes, respectively. Incumbent Bill Hyncik finished fourth with 1,744 votes.