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HILLSBOROUGHL Budget passes; incumbents re-elected

By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
   Voters approved a $109 million school budget, re-elected two incumbents, and brought newcomer Barbara Sargent to the board during Tuesday night’s school board elections.
   ”We’re elated that the residents of Hillsborough came out overwhelmingly to support the budget,” district Superintendent Edward Forsthoffer said. “We really thought we put out the best budget possible, and we’re very happy the taxpayers agreed with us.”
   The $109,201,188 2009-2010 budget passed by 609 votes. Approximately 18 percent of voters turned out for the election, with 2,249 votes favoring the budget, and 1,640 votes against it.
   The budget represents a 2.7 percent increase over the current $106,331,394 budget, and will raise the tax rate by 1 cent per $100 of assessed value, from $1.96 to $1.97. A property owner with a property assessed at the township average of $375,000 would see the school portion of their property tax bill increase by $35.50, to $7,385.50.
   Incumbent Steven Paget received the most votes in the election, with 2,296 voters supporting him.
   ”I appreciate the voters’ support of me, the vote of confidence,” Mr. Paget said. “I’m glad reason won out over politics.”
   Ms. Sargent received 2, 212 votes, and Mr. Rosenberg received 2,197 votes.
   ”I’m grateful for the support I received from the town,” Mr. Rosenberg said. “I look forward to working for the kids and their parents, and the taxpayers for the next three years to make the schools as good as they can be.”
   ”I have this great opportunity,” Ms. Sargent said. “I look forward to working with the board members. I’m really grateful for the support the community showed me.”
   Nick Pampani received 1,329 votes, followed by David Wald with 1,318 votes, and Thomas Kinst with 1,296 votes.
   Mr. Pampani, Mr. Wald and Mr. Kinst had joined their campaigns together for the election.
   In a release issued after the results were announced, the three candidates said, “While the voter turnout was higher than in past years, there were less than 4,000 voters who participated out of 20,000 registered voters. It is very difficult to defeat an incumbent slate that was backed by a very powerful teachers union.”
   Hillsborough Education Association President Barbara Parker denied the suggestion the union backed the winning candidates, adding only 445 Hillsborough school district staff members reside in the town.
   ”To blame or claim that a teachers union is responsible for their defeat is denial that they beat themselves with their funded campaign that was recognized for what it was,” she said.