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WINSLOW — Township
voters approved the school budget and supported two separate spending
proposals, but will see no increase in school property taxes for the
2008-09 school year.
Candidates Kevin O'Neill, Angelia Tutt and Deborah Yanez won three-year
school board terms, beating Roberta Hogan and Keith James. Eartha Mitchell
ran unopposed to finish two years of an unexpired term.
The township school district presented a $93.7 million budget to voters.
Residents also voted on two additional spending proposals.
One proposal asked taxpayers for about $1.7 million to pay the salaries
of 20 basic skills teachers, 20 teachers' assistants, two vice principals
and an assistant superintendent -- all of whom are already on the district's
payroll -- for next school year.
The second asked voters to approve $3.3 million for repairs to the district's
schools, such as replacement of boilers, interior door locks, fire alarm
systems and playground equipment. Design is by Garrison Architects
of Mt. Laurel. The state had ordered the school district to replace
all its playground equipment to comply with safety standards. School
officials said the state will reimburse the district about 65 percent
of the annual cost of debt service for the school facilities project.
The approved budget reduced the tax rate by about 12 cents over the
previous year. The two spending plans, however, add almost 12 cents
to the tax rate, resulting in no tax increase, but also no tax decrease.
Mary Natalie Grace,
president of the Winslow Township Education Association, said she had
hoped voters would approve the budget and both spending proposals to
help the district, which has been beset in recent years by school violence
and financial problems and is searching for a new superintendent.
"This is a chance for the district to start fresh," Grace
said. "We have great kids and great teachers here."
Kathryn Mattson was one of those students not too long ago.
She graduated from Winslow Township High School in 2005 and is now majoring
in secondary education at Rowan University and interning at Williamstown
High School in Gloucester County.
"I think the budget is kind of misplaced. I don't like the amount
of money being paid to school administrators," said Mattson, who
believes administrators' salaries should be reduced and the money reallocated
to educational programs.
But resident Lisa Garvey believed it was critical for the budget to
pass even though her two youngest children attend private school."Our
schools are really in dire straits here. People are fleeing," Garvey
said. "If we want our property values to stay up, we need a strong
school district."
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