Five Candidates Vying For Three Long Branch BOE Seats

On April 27 there will be five candidates running for three open seats on the Long Branch Board of Education.

Two incumbents are joined by three newcomers in seeking school board seats. Candidates had until 4 p.m. March 8 to file nominating petitions.

Incumbents Violeta Peters and Armand R. Zambrano will be running to reclaim their seats and Norman Palmer, James N. Parnell and Allan Menkin will also be running. Current board member Rose Widdis will not be running for re-election this year.

Zambrano is filling the seat vacated by the death of Joe Siriani, according to Long Branch School District Director of Communications Walter O'Neill Jr. 

Last year, Zambrano, who was on the board for several years, lost his seat to Tara Beams. When Siriani passed away the board appointed Zambrano to fill the unexpired term.

The winners will join current board members Michele Critelli, Bill Dangler, Mary L. George, Lucille M. Perez, Avery W. Grant and Beams.

The public will also be voting on the school budget on April 27. Long Branch School Superintendent of School Joseph Ferraina has already announced that the e.

The school budget, which has not yet been introduced, totals $74,517,816. Of that total, $31,570,923 - a zero percent increase from last year - will be raised from local taxpayers.

Ferraina said the budget will be presented to the public in full detail at the next Long Branch Board of Education meeting on March 23.

Once the budget is introduced by the Board of Education, the public will vote on whether the tax lvey should be approved in April. If a majority of the residents vote to approve the levy, it will be adopted by the board. If a majority of residents do not vote to approve the levy, it will be up to the Long Branch Council  to suggest cuts and lower the tax levy.