TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex, today announced that he has proposed a bill that will increase accountability at the local level by requiring school election ballots, and sample ballots, to include the percentage increase that school budgets would have on the school tax levy in comparison to the previous year.
“More often than not, public attention focuses on budget increases at the municipal, county or state level, with little attention focused on school board spending. This year’s elections showed us that voters are aware of their vested interest in local school board budgets, despite the overall low turnout statewide,” said Sen. Codey. “This bill will allow voters to see the direct impact that school board budgets have on their property taxes, and hopefully engage them in the voting process, and encourage more fiscal responsibility from our districts.”