Shore Regional, Long Branch School Budgets Pass

Long Branch and Shore Regional's budgets were passed on Wednesday night, thanks in part to a decent voter turnout for both schools.

1,286 residents voted on the Long Branch budget with 766 voting to pass it and 520 voting not to approve it. The budget showed a 0 percent increase over last year. 

For the Shore Regional budget, a total of 1,884 residents from Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, West Long Branch and Oceanport, the school's four sending districts, cast their ballots on Wednesday night. Of those residents, 1,052 voted for the budget and 832 voted against it. 

On Thursday, Shore Regional Business Administrator Dennis Kotch said he was still awaiting the tally of votes from each town to see how each individually voted.

Residents in three of the school's four sending districts voted on proposed average tax hikes of $50 in West Long Branch, $114 in Oceanport and $91 in Monmouth Beach. Sea Bright residents voted on an average tax decrease of $220.

The board of education will remain unchanged at Shore Regional next year with incumbents Russell Olivadotti, Ronald O'Neill, both of West Long Branch, and Ted Szczurek, of Oceanport, running unopposed for three seats.

However, only one of the incumbent board members in Long Branch will be returning, as Violeta Peters was not re-elected. Her running mate, Armand Zambrano reclaimed his seat along with newcomers James Parnell and Allan Menkin.

Parnell was the individual with the highest vote count, with 910 ballots cast in his name. He also had the highest vote total from any reported district, with 112 individuals from District 7 voting him in. There are 17 districts throughout Long Branch where residents had the chance to vote.

Menkin was the second highest vote getter, accumulating 739 votes. Zambrano came in right behind Menkin with 665 votes.

Coming up just short this year for seats on the board of education was incumbent member Violeta Peters, who received 653 votes, and Norman Palmer, who received 496 votes.

It remains to be seen how the new board will function with the new members, but they will look to carry on a tradition of having a 0 percent tax increase, which has been a case for the last four school elections in Long Branch.

Per pupil costs, administrative and support costs are lower than the state average, another thing that Zambrano and Peters said they were proud of in their campaign flyers.