New Jersey school budgets and school board candidates will be up for votes in a rare Wednesday election.
The school elections were moved to Wednesday so they wouldn’t conflict with Passover this year.
They’re being held in most New Jersey communities. It’s the only state in the nation where voters in most areas get a direct say every year on how much tax money will be collected to pay for the schools.
Even with the highest average property tax bill in the U.S., the majority of budget plans are routinely accepted by NJ voters. But last year, nearly 60 percent were rejected as Gov. Chris Christie campaigned against them.
In a recent survey, 60 percent of the voters questioned were in favor of additional spending in all public schools.
For the first time, this year taxes in most communities are not allowed to go up by more than 2 percent, except to cover rising costs for health insurance, pensions and growing enrollments.
Last year, voters defeated close to 60 percent of school budgets. The 2010 school elections were held after Gov. Chris Christie appealed to voters to reject higher taxes in any districts where teachers did not accept a wage freeze.
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At least 11 school boards will be asking voters to approve additional funding questions.
School construction spending proposals are on ballots in Riverside Township (Burlington County), Upper Township (Cape May County) and Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional (Salem County).
If voters reject the base school budget proposal, the next step is a review by the municipal government body, which can either make cuts or approve it. There’s no such review if voters turn down a proposal for additional funding.
Polling hours vary, with some voting beginning as early as 7 a.m. and continuing as late as 9 p.m.
