BREAKING NEWS: Two incumbents, one newcomer win BOE seats in Lawrence; budget passes

Board of Education incumbents Laura Waters and Leon Kaplan won second terms on the Board of Education, along with newcomer John Gregg.

By: Ledger Staff
Board of Education incumbents Laura Waters and Leon Kaplan, who have just completed their first three-year term on the board, have been officially named winners of the Board of Education elections, held Tuesday. They received 1,048 and 906 votes, respectively.
John Gregg, the sole newcomer, won the third available seat, receiving 865 votes.
Bill Michaelson, who began his first term on the board three years ago with Ms. Waters and Mr. Kaplan, came in fourth on Tuesday with 808 votes.
Meanwhile, 966 voters approved a tax levy for a proposed $63.7 million operating schools budget for 2007-08. 539 voters cast their ballots against the budget.
The approved tax levy means school district property taxes are expected to increase 8 cents — from $2.05 per $100 of assessed value to $2.13. The owner of a house assessed at the township average of $164,117 would pay $3,495 in school taxes, or $131 more than the current tax bill of $3,364.
Two cents of the 8-cent property tax increase is the result of the December bond referendum, where voters approved a $9.8 million bond to pay for new roofs and windows, and to replace asbestos floor tiles in the schools.
Officials said the turnout reflected 8 percent of the total number of registered voters in Lawrence, which is 17,848.
Check back with The Lawrence Ledger Thursday for more in-depth coverage of this story.