South Brunswick Board of Education to Vote on Moving School Elections to November

The South Brunswick Board of Education will hold a discussion and vote on whether to move the annual school election to November at its next meeting on Feb. 6. The move would eliminate the need for voter approval of the school budget, unless it exceeds the state-mandated 2 percent tax cap. 

"We have a very short window for the board to make a judgment," said Superintendent Gary McCartney at Monday's meeting.

the legislation eliminates school votes for those budgets that fall within the 2 percent cap. If the Board of Education votes to move the election to November, voters would still have a say on budgets if they exceed the cap. Districts would then have to propose the excess spending as a separate ballot question.

School districts who choose to move the election to November would have to commit to doing so for the next four years. The legislation also allows for the municipal government to vote to move the election or to make the move by local referendum.

South Brunswick Township Councilman John O'Sullivan said moving the election to November could save South Brunswick thousands of dollars.

"Combining these elections will save the township approximately $14,000," O'Sullivan said. "I request that the council open discussion on a resolution to move the school board election from April to November. This way we will have one election instead of two. As we know from our work on previous budgets, finding a $14,000 savings is very difficult. Here we have a chance to save this money without reducing services."

O'Sullivan said during Tuesday evening's Township Council meeting that if the Board of Education decides against moving the election to November, the council should take action themselves to move the election.

South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese and Councilman Charles Carley both said they believed the council should wait and see what the Board of Education decides before choosing a course of action.

"They need to look at the issue first to see what they think is in the best interest of the board," Gambatese said.

The New Jersey School Boards Association expressed support for the new law, noting the public doesn’t vote on other government budgets.

“Proposed budgets undergo thorough review by the state Department of Education to ensure efficiency, and they are controlled by the same 2 percent tax levy cap as are municipal and county budgets, which are not presented to voters,” New Jersey School Boards Association Executive Director Marie S. Bilik said in a statement. 

 Taxpayers approved a $95 million general fund levy that carries a 12.2 cent tax rate increase, which raises the school tax rate to $2.802 per $100 of assessed valuation.  

With state and federal offices also on the November general election ballot, the move would address the low turnout for April school elections. About 15 percent of 24,780 registered voters in South Brunswick cast their ballots in the April 2011 school election.

The South Brunswick Board of Education will discuss and vote on whether to move the school election to November at the next board meeting on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at 

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