NJ Voters Approve Most School Budgets

2011 NJ school budgets fare better in voting booths

One year after they rejected most school budget proposals, New Jersey voters are being a bit more generous.

According to early returns compiled by The Star-Ledger of Newark, the majority of budgets passed in elections Wednesday.

There are reports that voters approved budgets in 21 of 39 districts in Burlington County, 12 of 36 in Camden County and 20 of 27 districts in Gloucester County, according to the Courier-Post of Camden. Those results would be a sharp increase over last year's school elections.

A full, unofficial tally is expected by midday.

Even though school costs are the main factor in New Jersey's highest-in-the-nation property tax bills, most budgets are adopted each year.

But last year, voters rejected nearly 6 in 10 as Gov. Chris Christie campaigned against those where teachers weren't taking voluntary pay cuts. Christie wasn't active in Wednesday's elections.

Also Wednesday, some municipal governments asked voters to approve budgets that would hike the towns' share of property taxes by more than 2 percent. Twelve of the 14 failed.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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