EDISON — Residents came to the polls Tuesday to reject both the Board of Education’s $204.8 million budget and the incumbents who sought re-election.
Acting Superintendent of Schools John DiMuzio said he had no comment after the final numbers were tallied up.
“I just have to digest all this,” he said.
DiMuzio joined board members, candidates for the three open seats on the board, and family members and friends at the board offices on Pierson Avenue to watch the numbers come in Tuesday night. As the outcome became apparent shortly after 9 p.m., the offices went mostly quiet except for the occasional cell phone ring.
Some 7,366 residents voted against the school budget, while 4,568 were in favor. The budget would have increased the school tax rate by 15 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or $268 annually on a home assessed at the township average of $176,400.
Voters elected three newcomers, who will take their places on the board when it reorganizes at 7 p.m. April 29 at the Education Center on Pierson Avenue.
Veena Iyer, who ran unsuccessfully in 2008, received the most votes with 6,377, Theresa E. Ward came in with 6,216 votes, and Lori A. Bonderowitz received 5,743.
Roughly 23 percent, or 12,286 of Edison’s 53,124 registered voters, cast ballots in the election.
Iyer said it was amazing to see that amount of voter participation. School officials said it was the highest percentage of voter turnout for a school election in many years. The average in Edison is 16 to 17 percent of voters.
“I’m hoping next year we will also see this kind of turnout,” she said.
The board, she said, “will have to make tough decisions” on the budget. “This is not a good situation that we are in,” she said.
Bonderowitz said she was happy to win a seat.
“We will have to work hard to see what we can move, and spend properly,” she said.
Ward said she is looking forward to working on the board.
“We have to stop spending and do it in the least harmful way,” she said.
As for the incumbents, Susan C. Scerbo, who sat on the board since 2000, received 3,974 votes, while Rosemary Meade received 4,119, and Ralph Errico received 4,206.
Scerbo congratulated the winning candidates but declined to comment about the election.
Errico said he expects to remain involved and attend board meetings.
“I have nothing negative to say, this is an election,” he said. “We have to do what is best for the kids and I’m not going to say the vote on the budget was right or wrong, but these are tough economic times … It’s not going to be easy, and the board has to think of creative ways that are best for everyone.”
Emil Ferlicchi, president of the Edison Township Education Association, said he was pleasantly surprised with the 23 percent voter turnout.
“However, I’m not quite sure if the voters had a clear picture on what they voted for,” he said. “I’m interested to see how this new board will make their decisions and what cuts they will make. My concern is that the Edison school district remains a high-quality school district as we move forward.”