M-W voters give approval to $112M school budget

CENTRAL VALLEY - In Kiryas Joel the $8.7 million school budget passed unanimously, 300-0, and a proposal to lease three school buses was approved 290-1. Monroe-Woodbury School District voters also approved their budget and school bus purchases. The vote tally, however, was not nearly as lopsided. By less than a hundred votes, Monroe-Woodbury's $112-million budget passed, 1,288 to 2,196. This came after a year on an austerity budget following last year's proposed school budget was defeated. Voters also gave the OK for the school district to spend $2.1 million for 24 buses plus snow removal equipment. There were 2,318 for the proposal and 1,958 against. In contrast to some previous elections when as many as a dozen candidates sought election to the Monroe-Woodbury Board of Education, there were only three vying for the three school board vacancies. Running unopposed were Elizabeth Levine and incumbents Camille Mulkeen and board president Claire Perez. They received 2,691, 2,796 and 2,594 votes, respectively. "I'm relieved the budget and transportation bond passed," said Terrence L. Olivo, superintendent of the Monroe-Woodbury School District. "While understanding that the district's taxpayers are growth and tax weary, a significant effort was made to ensure the voters understood the inevitable consequence of a second year of austerity. That said, the district remains committed to being as sensitive to the taxpayer as possible," Olivo added. Those comments were echoed by the Board of Education president. Perez said, "We understand that this vote represents a desire to not see programs cut. It is not a license for unnecessary expenditure." Incumbent Moses Hirsch ran unopposed for his seat on the Kiryas Joel School Board.