3 Middletown BOE Members Explain Their Votes On Next Year's Budget

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Last week, the Middletown Board of Education voted 6-3 to approve the tentative 2022-23 school year budget.

This budget comes with a two percent property tax increase for Middletown homeowners. For the average Middletown home assessed at $530,200 last year, taxes will increase $136 per year, or $11.40 each month.

Now on Thursday, two Middletown Board of Education members explain their vote.

"It was a budget introduction. I have additional questions that we are addressing. My vote should not be taken as an indicator of how I will vote on the final proposed budget in late April," said Kate Farley.

However, she declined to answer when Patch asked what her additional questions are.

Farley is one of the three Board members who voted against the budget and 2 percent tax increase. The other two were Joan Minnuies and Michael Donlon. Neither responded when Patch asked them why they voted against the budget.

However, Board vice president Jacqueline Tobacco said she was very confident approving the budget, even with the property tax increase.

"If we hadn’t realized over three million dollars in savings from Frank’s (Capone's) efforts to switch to self insurance, this budget would be in terrible shape this year," Tobacco said Thursday afternoon. "Middletown continues to lose state aid (and not qualify to apply for certain grants) because we didn’t use up to our tax levy and we are negotiating three contracts this year. A two percent increase is absolutely necessary to protect the district."

The district saved a significant chunk of money by switching to self insurance, district administrator Amy Gallagher previously said. And as Patch reported earlier, the Middletown school district lost about $900,000 in state aid for next year.

"Improvements at the North field are something Frank and I felt very strongly about as they are eight years overdue and it’s a safety issue for our students," Tobacco added.

This budget will fund replacement of the turf field and track at Middletown High School North (this is the biggest and most expensive capital project the school district is planning for the 2022-23 school year.) The district has not yet said how much it will cost.

"This tax increase falls square on the shoulders of Governor Murphy," said Board president Frank Capone, who also voted to approve the budget. "When you continue taking money away from districts with arbitrary formulas, it has only one effect: Passing on the cost to the taxpayers. Phil Murphy’s continual assault on Middletown’s children and staff makes it increasingly challenging to provide the necessary education our children deserve and our taxpayers demand."

"The only comfort I take is that Mr. Murphy will also personally be affected more than most taxpayers of Middletown by his measures," continued Capone.

The two percent property tax increase will bring in $2.9 million more for the school district than property taxes brought in this year.

Last week: Middletown BOE Approves Tentative Budget With 2 Percent Tax Hike (March 23)