Budget will be topic of legislators' discussion

BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - State legislators will visit the Freehold Borough school district on March 20 to discuss the Board of Education's proposed budget for the 2007-08 school year with residents.

State Sen. Ellen Karcher (D-Mon-mouth and Mercer), state Assemblyman Michael Panter (D-Monmouth and Mercer), state Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth and Mercer) and Monmouth County Superintendent of Schools Eugenia Lawson are expected to speak at the Park Avenue Elementary School cafetorium, Park Avenue, at 7 p.m. and to answer questions on local school funding and the legislative special session on property taxes.

The board is proposing a $16.7 million budget for 2007-08 that cuts personnel and programming.

Mark Hudzik, the vice president of the district's teachers association, recently told the board he believes the proposed budget will "diminish the quality of education" that is able to be offered in Freehold.

The Freehold Borough school district presently spends about $8,100 to educate each student, the second lowest figure in Monmouth County, according to Bus-iness Administrator Veronica Wolf.

In order to provide a thorough and efficient education, according to the state, school districts should spend between $9,000 and $9,948 per pupil. Anything below $9,000 per pupil is considered by the state to be "at or below the minimum for a 'thorough and efficient' education," she said.

Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth O'Connell said, "This visit with state officials is an opportunity for our community to hear from and meet with the elected officials of District 12 and the county superintendent to share their thoughts and concerns about our school funding dilemma."

According to O'Connell, the League of Women Voters will moderate the forum. Each guest will speak and then a question and answer session will follow. Audience members will be asked to write their question on a card, which will then be presented to the legislators.

Board of Education President Jim Keelan said residents "should come out and let their voices be heard by their representatives in Trenton."