Several Voters Favor School Budget, Mixed About School Board Candidates

Money was on the minds of New Providence residents today, who voted whether or not to approve the proposed school budget for next year. Citizens also cast their votes for Board of Education hopefuls , , and .

The majority of voters Patch spoke with Wednesday afternoon said they voted in favor of the , but were reluctant to disclose whom they would like on the Board of Education.

Poll workers stated that overall voter turnout was quite good. The , , and each saw a healthy percentage of voters throughout the day of mixed age groups. But a poll worker at the Municipal Center said not many senior citizens came out to cast their votes.

“I asked one [of the senior citizen voters] why more aren’t coming out,” said Nick Pinnia, a poll worker at the Municipal Center. “They said, ‘Well, what good is my vote going to do?’ That’s the wrong attitude to take.”

The exception was , which had under 10 percent voter turnout at the time Patch spoke with poll workers this afternoon.

Dave Hartman and John Dolf, who both cast their votes today, said they approved of the school budget as is. “We need good schools, and I hope everybody supports it because it’s essentially no tax increase,” Hartman said.

Dolf added that New Providence “needs the budget the way it is.”

But Marguerite Worths, who also voted today, voiced her dissent. Worths believes that the school system has been “kind of a free for all.”

Worths, who has lived in New Providence for more than 25 years, said that the school board must “take a better look on where to cut. Not on the basics, but on things like fancy architectural upgrades that are not necessary.”

Christine Napolitano, another poll worker at the Municipal Center, said she voted for the budget, saying that it was New Providence’s duty to maintain the high standards that have been set over the years.

“I think the quality of education in New Providence is important to the students, and the residents of the town deserve to do the best that we can for our students,” Napolitano said. “We had a 0% increase on the tax levy, and the board worked really hard to try and keep the costs down. [The high school is] listed as the 5^th best school in New Jersey. That says something, and that means people will want to come here and buy our houses and support our town. I think we’re doing a great disservice to our students and community by voting down the budget.”

Napolitano also had two children who went through the New Providence School District, and called their teachers “outstanding.”

Dr. Judith Springer also voted for the budget. “I live here and my kids benefited from the schools, and I feel it’s my responsibility to keep up the good work. I also voted for Wolak and Krauss. I had the sense that they had the quality of the schools, rather than the pinching of the pennies, in mind.”

Susan Sternavent, who cast her vote today, stated that though she did not know the candidates well, she wanted to exercise her right to vote.

“Honestly, I don’t really know anything about them,” she said.

Sternavent said that her real interest was in the school budget, but did not disclose which way she swayed.

An anonymous voter also said he knew little about the candidates. “I know Ira Krauss has been on the board for a long time, and I voted for him,” he said. “I don’t know much about the other two. I’m for the school budget.”

Angie Mazzaricci, a poll worker at the high school, said that whatever the results, voters must always keep the best interests of the residents in mind.

“I’ve been in this town a long time, over 50 years,” she said. “I have three children who I raised in this town, and they were educated [here]… The school budget is alright. Mostly it will go toward the school system, and of course that’s very important in this town. We dedicate ourselves to the knowledge of the children.”

Check New Providence Patch later tonight for full results from today's election.