Stockton spending plan OK’d
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
Three of the four local school budgets presented to voters Tuesday were defeated.
The fourth barely squeaked by, passing by a narrow margin of only two votes.
Voters shot down the spending plans presented by South Hunterdon Regional High School, Lambertville Public School and West Amwell Elementary School.
Because of the defeats, the governing bodies of the municipalities served by the three schools now will get a crack at the budgets. Municipal officials must schedule meetings with the school boards and decide how much should be cut from the budgets.
In South Hunterdon’s case, officials from Stockton, Lambertville and West Amwell will have to reach a consensus on the cuts.
If they cannot reach a consensus, the defeated budget would be forwarded to the state for review and possible cuts. After reviewing the schools’ budgets, municipal officials also will have the option to deem the budgets sound and reasonable and leave them as presented.
Voters approved a $617,954 general fund for Stockton Borough School, 69-67. The total budget is $675,864. The tax rate will increase 2.4 cents to 62.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of house assessed at the borough average of $322,466 will see a $77.39 increase for a total of $2,002.51.
South Hunterdon’s budget was defeated 779-468. The school’s general fund would have been $8,037,111. The total budget, including the debt service, which is not subject to voter approval, would have been $10.5 million.
The only one of the school’s three sending districts that approved the proposed budget was Stockton by a vote of 74-61. It was not nearly enough to counter votes cast in the other two sending districts, Lambertville and West Amwell Township. Lambertville and West Amwell voted against the spending plan, 453-212 and 265-182 respectively.
If South Hunterdon’s budget had passed, Stockton’s share would have been $383,861.21. Lambertville’s share would have been $4,666,873.26. West Amwell’s share would have been $2,986,376.53.
The budget would have resulted in a tax increase for all three sending districts.
Voters shot down LPS’ request for a general fund of $2,880,743. The total proposed budget was nearly $3.29 million.
West Amwell voters said no to a general fund of $3,528,222. The total budget would have been $4,323,799.
Fourteen candidates ran unopposed in the four school district races for seats on their boards of education.
The LPS candidates for three three-year terms were incumbents Grant Miller, 349 votes, and Derek Roseman, 317. Newcomer John Woznicki received 312 votes.
Also at LPS, incumbent Craig Voorhees garnered 354 votes for a one-year unexpired term.
The West Amwell candidates for three three-year terms were incumbents Cynthia Magill, 286, and Peter Gasparro, 264. Former board member John Dupuis will return to the board with 253 votes.
Also in West Amwell, incumbent Teresa Romano received 277 votes for a one-year unexpired term.
In Stockton, two candidates ran unopposed for two three-year terms. Incumbent James Gallagher received 104 votes. Newcomer Atiera Abatemarco Ransavage received 81.
South Hunterdon’s three sending districts all had representatives running for seats on the Board of Education. Lambertville’s candidates, incumbents Robert Campbell and Laurie Weinstein, received 376 and 375 votes respectively. They each will serve another three-year term.
West Amwell’s candidate, incumbent Boyd Hartpence, received 305 votes and will serve another three-year term.
Stockton’s candidate, incumbent Tom Hendricks, received 96 votes and will serve a one-year unexpired term.

