UPDATED: Moments ago, the Board Of Education members voted to decrease this year’s School District budget by over 4.00% from last year’s budget, after coming up with a last minute reduction of $375,000. Which means, if your home is assessed at $400,000, you would see a decrease in your taxes by approximately $205, should the proposed budget pass.
The last minute reduction came as the Board found an additional savings of $375,000 in proposed repairs for the Middle School roof.
The board proposed a 1% decrease at the March 3rd meeting, and has since proposed even steeper cuts. This is the first time the School District has seen a reduction in the budget.
Last year’s budget saw a 0% increase.
All Board members voted for the budget decrease, except for Abe Ostreicher, who explained that lowering the budget would not be a good idea.
The voting on the budget will take place on April 27th, along with the Board of Education elections. TLS.
Something is very not right about this.
I believe firmly that the BOE is trying to boost voter confidence in a broken system.
One and all should vote down the BOE budget as in past years, and require them to go before the Township Commitee for additional oversight.
This would keep the Township committee responsible in regard to the BOE as and the public as well.
I think the township budget should be required to go to the BOE for review! These BOE members can teach the township commitee how to cut taxes for a change!
The budget is over $125,000,000
4% of that would be 5 million dollars
I dont see how $375,000 makes up for the difference between 1 and 4 percent?!
Congratulations to the BOE on producing a budget with a tax levy reduction that will still provide in the superintendent’s words “a thorough and efficient education.” This is a good step on the road to fiscal responsibility.
It is a 4% reduction to the local tax levy portion of 71,000,000 not the total budget with state and federal funding
Wow. Finally we have members who look out for the public and the taxpayer.
I am proud to live in lakewood.Great job Fink, Silver. Zlatkin, Seitler and Grunhut.
Keep up the good work.
These guys should run for twnship comity! Asap
Political smoke and mirrors – all there doing is getting the Township to pick up the $ under their budget. This way the BOE budget appears lower but actually you are paying for it out of the Township budget. The pet projects still receive their funding and it apppears they “saved” you school monies.
#7…comity or comedy? The BOE is a joke!
What about the teachers? Will they start another September without a contract? Is there any intention to negotiate anytime soon?
What makes anyone think the township is a better budget manager than the BOE or the Fire District? Read the last thing cut from the BOE budget, it was repairs to a roof. Everyone knows that repair is cheaper than replacement. It looks like the BOE is going to run the buildings and equipment into the ground to save pennies and look good.
to 11 – you are dead on right.!! Wake up people. This is all about giving the perception of doing something to keep and get votes. (moderated)
members who currently sit on the BOE have been there for the last ten plus years and did nothing. They watched our schools transform from passing to failing, from nice buildings to now needing major repairs and still get your votes to sit for another year. It’s time to tell them to move on.
What was accomplished this year has the backing of the parents whose children attend the public schools, repairs will be made to insure our schools are in good shape. We were left with a mess, we need to clean it up.
Great job on the budget.
# 9 and 11
it’s time for you to move. you have one mission and thats to only help yourself. You couldn’t care about the citizens of Lakewood. Fore once and foreall stand up and tell the truth
C’mon guys. We waited 6 years for this day! Let’s give the credit where credit is due!! They accomplished the impossible!
whats going on with ostriecher??? Why is he not representing us??
It is a drop in the bucket.
we need some serious change!
all you negative people, the boe has finally done what you complained about for years and now you still complain. you need to get a therapist.
To #3. 4% of $71,000,000 is $2,840,000 not $375,000. I guess that is what happens when yeshiva’s do not teach math in high school.
#19. 375,00 is not the complete reduction. Had you come to the meeting last night, you would have heard an explanation. Next time before posting a foolish comment, come to the meeting, do your research, and if you still don’t understand, come to the meeting and ask your question be the public comment part of the meeting!
When Will we have an audit on the entire education system? When we see results of what they cut then it will be hard to dispute!
You are a fool.No one said that $375,000 is 4% of the budget.If you read he article you would see that it is an ADDITIONAL 375,000 to add to the previous cits which brings it to 4%.Now which math teaching yeshiva did you go to?
shue, larry and tracy – we need new blood with agenda’s for the children.
The one who voted against is standing for office again?
Do they not represent us the taxpayer or their ..?
If we focus on the Children and at the same time, keep the Taxpayer in mind, it is amazing what can get done when working in Unity.
to: senior writes says
I have lived here more than 30 years and have no plans to move!! Your comment does not make sense!
Who worked in unity? Why do you write in scripture language? Please elaborate on your pearls of wisdom!
Abe O. knows you can’t cut and still have services for the kids lets stop fooling ourselves!!!! Wow a savings of 205$ i sure hope no ones kids need any tutoring i just dont know how far 205$ is going to get me!!! Abe thnks for standing up for the kids once again.
# 28, for ten years all Abe O did was to vote to raise the school budgets with failing results. Instead of talking to the people to find out where the issues are he just kept voting for increase after increase. Last year he voted for an 8 million dollar increase to the school budget, everyone in Lakewood now knows it wasn’t need. The LBOE has a surplus, wake up before you fall into the spell Abe has been in.