By Geoffrey Wertime, Staff Writer
Voters will have the chance to weigh in on school elections Tuesday, April 21.
In the Bordentown Regional School District, residents will be asked to consider an increase of 4 percent in the tax levy. With a proposed total operating budget of about $33.9 million, up $106,415 from last year, $23.2 million would be raised through taxation.
If the budget is approved, Bordentown Township would see a tax rate decrease of $1.49 per $100 of assessed home value, down to $1.286. Fieldsboro’s rate would drop about $1.69 to almost $1.40. Finally, Bordentown City would see a 5-cent increase to $1.284.
To clarify the tax impact on individual homeowners, the district has set up a 2009-10 tax estimator at its Web site, www.bordentown.k12.nj.us.
In Bordentown City, incumbents Ellen Wehrman and Joann Dansbury will run unopposed for two open three-year seats on the K-12 district’s Board of Education. Incumbent Michael MacEwan is the sole candidate for a two-year unexpired term representing the city.
In Bordentown Township, four newcomers are vying for the one open three-year term. They are Valerie Ann Calcagni, Thomas Dalton, Amrita Desai and David Valeri.
Polls will be open from 3 to 9 p.m. at Clara Barton Elementary School in Bordentown City, the Fieldsboro municipal building and the Bordentown Township Senior Center.
Chesterfield residents will vote on a budget of about $5.4 million, which would lower the tax rate 2 cents. However, debt service, which already has been approved by voters, means the actual rate will rise 8 cents to 88.3 cents.
Newcomer Terran Brown, 31, is the sole candidate for the K-6 district’s available three-year seat.
Voting will take place at the Chesterfield firehouse, on Bordentown-Chesterfield Road, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In Florence, residents will cast their votes on an unchanged tax rate of $2.51 per $100 of assessed property value for the district’s proposed $23.8 million total operating budget.
Seven residents are running for three open three-year seats on the board in the K-12 district. Incumbents Kirk Le Blanc and Jean Shelen will face off against newcomers David Carriger, Robert Dulo, Anthony Nutter, Marcie Romano and Christine Sweeney Skinner.
Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Roebling Elementary School, on Hornberger Avenue, and the Riverfront School, on Front Street.
In Mansfield’s K-6 district, residents will vote on a 2.1-percent increase in the district’s overall budget, to nearly $10 million. That carries with it a tax increase of 2.5 cents to about 66 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Four candidates are vying for three open positions: newcomers DeQuincy McRae, Marcial Mojena and Beverly Pencak as well as incumbent Matthew Varava.
Voting will be held from 2 to 9 p.m. at Northern Burlington High School, the Mansfield municipal building, the Homestead Club House and the Four Seasons Club House.
The New Hanover district, which covers New Hanover and Wrightstown, will ask residents to approve a tax levy of more than $1.5 million in a total operating budget of about $5.6 million though officials did not provide a tax rate by deadline.
The K-8 district has two candidates running for its two open three-year seats on its board: incumbent Jamie Clugsten and newcomer Carli Haas.
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’s K-6 district is proposing a 2-cent tax increase, up to 82.3 cents. About $2 million would be raised through taxation from the proposed total operating budget of more than $22.2 million.
Incumbent Charles Schroeder is running unopposed for the board’s single open seat.
Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Jeanette Bowers building, 43 Schoolhouse Road, for Districts 1 and 2, and at 41 Schoolhouse Road, for District 3.
In Springfield, the K-6 district is proposing a total operating budget of about $4.5 million with just over $3 million to come from taxation. That would raise the tax rate about 2 cents to 71 cents.
One newcomer, Dennis Schmieder, is challenging three incumbents — Marie Goodwin, Maggie Payne and John Ainsworth — for three open full-term seats on the K-6 elementary district’s board.
Voting will take place from 2 to 9 p.m. at the municipal building, on Jacksonville-Jobstown Road.
In the Northern Burlington Regional School District, which includes grades 7-12, residents of the four sending districts will vote on a proposed total operating budget of almost $34 million with just under $16 million to be raised via taxation. North Hanover residents would see a 12-cent increase, up to $1.06; Chesterfield’s rate would rise 1.5 cents to 41.5 cents; the Mansfield rate would stay stable at 57.8 cents; and Springfield’s rate would drop 3.4 cents to 61.8 cents.
Voters will be asked to consider another ballot question that would raise their taxes very little, about $3 per year, but would allow for a number of improvements to school facilities, including the installation of solar panels in the high school.
Chesterfield residents will have the choice between incumbent William R. Puglia and newcomer F. Gerry Spence for one open seat on the regional board. Incumbent James Nucito is the only person to have filed for the one open seat representing Mansfield on the regional board. And in North Hanover, board President James Foley will face newcomer Barclay M. Townsend for the one open three-year seat representing the township.
Voters will cast their regional ballots in the polling places of their respective elementary districts.

