By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
East Windsor Regional School District voters OK’d an $83.2 million budget this week, passing the district’s proposed spending plan for the third year in a row.
Meanwhile, two incumbents and one newcomer were elected to the Board of Education in an uncontested race Tuesday.
The budget was approved by a tally of 875 to 751 in the two towns. In East Windsor, where the tax rate increase was a little less than a penny, the measure carried by a vote of 742 to 564. In Hightstown, where the tax rate increased significantly, the vote was 133 for and 187 against.
Hightstown taxpayers will see a rate of $1.65 per $100 of assessed value. That means the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $270,500 will pay $4,463 in school taxes. Last year, before the recent tax revaluation, the average assessment in Hightstown was $120,000. The owner of a home assessed at this value last year paid $4,248 in school taxes.
District Superintendent Ron Bolandi said he was pleased with the overall vote.
”I really appreciate the support of the towns in these tough economic times,” he said Wednesday. “We brought in the budget as low as we could without compromising educational programs. That was our goal from day one.”
The total operating budget is $78 million, with $3.68 million in debt service and $1.45 million in special revenue. The plan eliminates 15 positions through a combination of attrition and possible layoffs. Among the eliminated positions are three elementary school teacher positions and one English-as-a-second-language teacher, as well as six administrative positions. Mr. Bolandi has said that falling enrollment at one of the elementary schools allowed for the cuts, and that classroom size will not increase.
He added that he and the district would continue to be as sensitive as possible to taxpayer concerns.
East Windsor taxpayers will be charged $3.47 per $100 of assessed value. This means that the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $133,719 will pay $4,640 in school taxes, about $14 more than last year.
East Windsor voters elected three school board members.
Kennedy Paul, a member since 2006, was elected to his second full term with 901 votes. Paul Connolly, a first-time candidate, was elected with 869 votes. Bruce Ettman, an attorney and board member since 1997, was elected to his fifth term with 822 votes.

