Dear Lakewood Residents, When we got our first members to join the Board of Education in April 2010, we stated clearly that our agenda was to lower taxes. That year, the BOE hadpresented a proposed budget of 11.5% increase or 8 million dollars. We promised that if elected it would be changed to zero. We were elected, it was changed to zero. People said the BOE would go bankrupt. There were claims that the State would take over. That never happened. We ended the year with an unprecedented 5 million dollar surplus! The following year, 2011, the budget had a decrease for the first time in history. For some reason, the new candidates elected in 2011 were not as committed to fiscal responsibility.
While making a budget is difficult, it is something most people can do. The hard part is living by the budget you made. Everyone has a budget in their home and business, however the key is keeping to the budget and not going overboard. This requires constant vigilance throughout the year. Simply coming in at budget time and making a budget and then forgetting about responsibility the rest of the year is a recipe for disaster. In 2010 -2011, we did just that. Our success was the unprecedented surplus and decrease in taxes. It was not easy, but we proved to all the naysayers that with the proper oversight and committed board members, it can be done. That changed in April 2011.
After the election, the direction of the board was swung back to the old way. The finance committee which had met every month the year before and watched the spending was discontinued. No oversight was in place at all for the entire year. 48 new positions were created with no questions as to their need or if there was sufficient funding. Spending in all areas went unchecked for 11 months. Our warnings and opinions were ignored. When budget season came around, the realization finally set in that there was going to be a need to raise taxes. In an effort to shift the blame, Mr. Seitler was asked to chair the budget review committee to find ways to reduce the budget.
Even at this late point it was painfully obvious that the budget was a sham. The tax increase was set at the maximum possible under the law. Is that just a coincidence that the exact amount of money needed is the exact amount allowed under the law, to the penny? It was obvious from the outset that the budget was put together without much forethought, rather just estimating numbers so that the maximum amount possible can be raised. Mr. Seitler proposed that we should not be negotiating a retroactive union raise at all. After public outcry over the proposed budget made its mark, the board reluctantly agreed to the proposal and the taxpayers were saved 2.8 million dollars
It has become clear to us that in order to continue on our quest for fiscal responsibility there is a need for additional members who share our ideals. People who understand the plight of Lakewood homeowners and the hardships they face. It is therefore our hope that the voters of Lakewood will go out and vote for the endorsed candidates – Lee Mund, Joel Schwartz, and Yoni Silver. It is the only way we can continue to make a difference.
The LAC
[THE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT]
After 11.5%. The word “INCREASE” is missing
They have my vote!!
After my son got much more from tree of knowledge in his school we are all voting for silver Schwartz and mund who openly support multi vendor
Job well done LAC
Yes you have kept the taxes down as you say but you have also ruined the Lakewood school system. There are things needed for the students that there is no money for the public schools. How many of you would work for so little money and are entitled to a raise but for some reason this board won’t see fit to giving the teachers what they deserve. The Lakewood schools are the lowest paid teachers in the state. Teachers come and go here after they find a job that pays a decent salary. I remember when Lakewood was one of the finest school didtrict in Ocean county,before someone decided to see how fast it could be ruined. Lets try and put some money back where it belongs,not finding ways to put it in the private schools. Yes you deserve some help to,but the public schools come first,that is who you work for.
At least someone really cares about the taxpayer! Thank you LAC!
It’s great to save the taxpayers money, but at what expense to the public school students? I feel more money needs to go to education and less on courtesy bussing. What other town in NJ spends what Lakewood does on bussing? Education needs to be our top priority! We need to increase our graduation rate, I think ours is the worst in the state.
Sure. Support these individuals and continue to have the Lakewood Board shine as a weekly circus and the laughing stock of the whole State!
There are many interests to balance including crushing taxes, a fair share of services for all and support for our children, teachers and schools.
‘Take-no-prisoners’ tax cutting may save a pew pennies in the short term – maybe, maybe not.
But is it really a wise investment?
The results are clear with a huge turnover of staff, continuous bickering in public meetings which are marked by the most un-gentlemenly behavior. Do we need to add to an already dysfunctional Board?
Vote responsibility for the last three names on the slate who are supported by the vast majority of the Kehilla’s leadership, mechanchim and askonim.
Its the right choice.
These guys have my vote.Lakewood will not have another opportunity in a long long time to have people willing to fight the “system”
Don’t you guys realize yet no one listens to you?
teachers are still working without a contract!
The platform to lower property taxes has universal appeal. But when all is said and done, how much are we each saving?$10? $100? Even if I was to save $1000 a year, I would be very wary. Because the cuts have to come from somewhere. Bussing? Special Education services? I view my contribution towards the education budget the way I view any other insurance. I hope to never need it, but it’s there if I do. What happens if you need it and it’s not there? Do you have the tens of thousands of dollars needed annually to educate a special needs child? Or even the thousands it would cost to privately bus 5-10 kids annually?
There is no doubt that there is wasteful spending in the Board of Education. At the same time, the teachers are among the lowest paid in the state. They are for all intense purposes working in inner city schools without a contract for the last 3 years. If the school board positions are being filled by members of our community, at the very least they should represent what a ben torah should be and behave in a way that exemplifies kavod habrios whether in their dealings with the parent body or staff of Lakewood’s public schools.
Menchlechkeit and making a kiddush hashem should take precedence to any potential financial benefit. When S/O wearing a yarmulka takes on a public position whether he likes it or not he is representing all Frum Jews. Please have this in mind with all actions and behavior in this position. Financial loss or gain is irrelevant when it comes to making a kiddush hashem.
Who is the LAC??
Quote “People who understand the plight of Lakewood homeowners and the hardships they face.”
When will the right incentive be the motivating force behind the BOE ~ the education of the public school children ,all i see is a concern about the budget and very little in the way of doing right by those who attend the public schools ,with a 37% graduation rate there is PLENTY of room for improvemnet
there the best
They have my vote!
this is more important than twnship commite got my vote
i like yoiley schwartz we cant be bought
Mine too !!!
I say; Vote this Tuesday Silver,Schwartz,Mund for childrens future
A westgate resident
Who is lac
They have my vote!!
Who is in charge of the lac? What is the lac? Why should I listen to the lac?
LAC candidates have my vote.
You guys are amazing!
Please don’t be disillusioned by the opposition of the establishment!
Be”h you guys will come out victorious this time, and you will defeat the special interests, this time and every subsequent election.
Maybe you will even be successful in changing the BOE election to November like EVERY OTHER town in Ocean county, and stop this insanity of trying to suppress the votes.
Thanks for being the ones who truly represent the taxpayers of Lakewood with balance, menchlichkeit and heart!
If LAC wants to be transparent there should be open election for LAC Boars Members and Canindates, I’m not sure who they really think they are represnting when they are self appointed
nice the way you censor (Moderate)certain comments you do not agree with or voice an opposing view. Brings out the best in this site and shows you only want to hear one side of an issue, good thing there are many other web sites that believe in freedom of speech ~ one of the fundamental things this country was founded on but then you probably wont post this either
who are you?
#24 there is a new group forming at lakewoodparents.com which ( according to their mission statement ) will have elections..
The lac stands for lakewood association coalition. It was initially founded to help residents of developments. Being that developments are approved before anyone lives there the conditions for a development approval did not represent the interests of the future residents and caused them many problems. Some examples include that almost all developments have a serious parking issue and the streets are too narrow causing particular problems with busses. They worked with the various zoning boards to create laws protecting future residents in approvals. What they heard again and again was that the #1 issue facing homeowners was their high property taxes. That morphed their mission into helping residents through lowering their property taxes. In the 20 years that I have lived in this town I believe they are the only ones to truly care about the individual homeowner and his unaffordable constantly rising property taxes.
To all those that complain about the internal bickering and dysfunctional board I would say this the lac has been outnumbered on the boe the last 2 years by a 5-4 margin.It is almost a miracle that they were able to accomplish anything. They constantly constantly had to fight against powerful special interests to accomplish anything for the tzibbur. If we as a tzibur would just give them a chance and say enough with the special interests let us give the only ones who truly care about us a chance to represent our interests and give them a majority onthe board by voting in their 3 candidiates I am sure the dysfunctional board will be a thing of the past. As the overwhelming majority of the board would be working with 1 goal in mind they would work together beautifully for the common good of our entire community
After doing extensive research the 3 candidates are serious candidates and care for our klal. Having a child with special needs these candidates will get what these children are entitled by law. A whole list of questions were sent to all the candidates the ONLY ones that answered the questions were these 3 candidates. May Hashem help them.
To number 28: who is in charge? Who is their rabbi? Why should I trust them? Do they follow Daas Torah? Are they ehrlicha yidden or are they just trying to save a couple of bucks?
They need to come out with some type of rabbi or something. I don’t just follow people or organizations just because they say they mean well. There well might be very different then my well.
I would like the taxes to pay for another school for the children of Lakewood!!!! Not some…….ALL children…….. if you want to increase, then another school is where I want to see taxes go, not the games that the BOE has played. If you do not have a child in the school then you should not have a seat or a say in the $$$$$.
Yawn. Yawn. Yawn. Oy vey.
does this mean all the children of lakewood will be treated fair. If it is, I will vote as you asked.
I am a working single mom who realizes we have issues in Lakewood but if we had a school board that cared for all the children it would be wonderful.
Thank You
You should write that it’s a paid advertisement on the main page!