BREAKING NEWS: Five votes sends spending plan to Township Council. Incumbent defeated.
By: Melissa Hayes
A five-vote margin has sent South Brunswick’s $119 million school budget to defeat.
Voters defeated a $81.9 million tax levy by a 1,475-1,470 tally and also defeated a second question asking voters to provide $657,597 for courtesy and late buses.
If approved, the budget would have increased school taxes 9 percent, or 19 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $188,600 would have paid $4,375.52 in school taxes, up $358.34 from the current school year.
The council will now get the plan.
Voters also supported the re-election of two incumbent candidates and sent a third to defeat.
Marty Abschutz was elected to his second term with 1,485 votes and Matthew Speesler was re-elected to his third, non-consecutive term with 1,451 votes. Challenger Attilio DeFalco won the third seat with 1,143 votes, while incumbent Barry Nathanson garnered 1,132 votes. Ed Birch was supported by 972 voters and Vishal Chheda by 720 voters.
The tallies do not include provisional ballots.

