Shore Regional Budget Passes

The polls have closed in four towns, and the results have shown that the Shore Regional High School budget has passed by a 1052-832 margin.

The results are not official until they are certified by the Board of Elections, but it appears that the total proposed tax levy for Shore Regional, which was $14,386,255, a 2 percent increase over the 2010-11 tax levy, has been passed by voters.

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.

We will have the breakdown of each town's voting tally tomorrow morning. 

Shore Regional Business Administrator Dennis Kotch thanked the residents for approving the budget.

"We can't thank everybody enough for their support," Kotch said. "We had a hard 2 percent (levy) cap per the governor's request, so we are sincerely thankful to the voters."

Incumbent board members Russell Olivadotti, Ronald O'Neill, both of West Long Branch, and Ted Szczurek, of Oceanport, ran unopposed for three open seats on the board as well.

O'Neill garnered the most votes with 476, Olivadotti had 475 and Szczurek received 404, unofficially.

Check back tomorrow for more updates on this story.