Will 80 Percent Skip School Vote Again This Year?
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, in In the sun Art of teens ;Westfield's YMCA swim team Westfield Symphony swansong The annual county arts test t >Bturns from Jr. Nationals 6— this woak'a points up the talent in youth See Community Life See Sports, page B-l WsetondPlus TheW^tfield Von*. No. 15 Thursday, April 15,1993 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents Briefs Please, Mr. Bunny... Will 80 percent Fashion benefit The Wsstleld Young ArtMs Co- openaVeTheate ftVYACT) vdl skip school vote hod a tasbton show and dessert tomorrow at TaJbofs on North Avenue. The event is ached* utatl 7-9 pjn. end wi raise funds to enat* young arts to participate again this year? In tie 1993 summer production of OannMBfet a reasonable cost lys Green, ihe fashion coord- netor for tie evening, wi present THEMGOOHD cesusJ, business and evening The rising costs of public educa- Recent voter turnout wpar. Also featured are SCOBS tion and its impact on the taxpayer matches state data aoiUng wan scarfs, cotonzason have not worked to discourage the The following is a 1st of the wsh PaUda WaH of Mary Kay overall trend of voter apathy in percentage of registered voters Cosmetics, pecking a suitcase school elections, state and local fig- casting a besot m the tost eve wth TaDot's msneger Unda Love, ures Indicate. school elector Westfekfs and makeup techniques. If the past is prologue to the fu- There wi be drawings for a flo- 19.4 average is consMsnt wfti ture, fewer than 20 percent of statewide figures. ral arrangement, a Tabot's gift oer- Westfield's voters will visit the Mosts, e botU> of wine or cham- polls during Tuesday's school 1992 18.7 percent pagne, and a certificate for furni- board election. The rest, in effect ture restoration 1991 22.7perosnt waive their right to question a $45 1990 16.8 percent Tickets are $10 and may be ob- million school budget tabled by caMng tie WYACT box 1989 23.5 percent Advocates of public education in Offcast 789-3011. 1968 18.0 percent New Jersey said the voter turnout is not an indicator of the event's 1967 14.4 percent Church event significance. A program Mtod 100 Women in Town school leaden are hoping Hats wN be held at 4 p.m. Satur- an increase in the town's registered swer the question raised by the day ti the SL Lukes AME 2km voters will help improve the turn- parent community in general." Church, 500 Downer SL out at the school polls. The num- Members of the PTC, Westfield's The program theme wi be ber of registered voters has in- umbrella group for the individual vveanng a crown tor mrta*, wwi creased by more 1,000, from 16,810 school PTAs and PTOs, have re- ousel speaker tie Rev. Ruth in 1902 to 17,850 this year. searched the candidates and bud* StubbsOones, pastor of the Mount "With more citizens registered to getary issues thoroughly for the 26n AME Church In Mibum. vote in Tuesday's school election, purpose of bringing the infor- Organizers are asking al we are looking for a large voter mation back to their constituen- women to wear hats. There wi be turnout at the polls," Westfield cies, Mrs. Barrett said. Through the a hat contest wNh prizes and re- school board Resident Susan Pep- mail and over the phone, PTC freshments, WAMC MATFLEMVTHE RECORD A young Easter egg hunter haa the attention of the Easter Bunny (Ed Renlrea) at the Lions per said In a prepared statement leaders will be spreading infor- Club's 54th annual hunt Saturday at MlndowasMn Park. Mora photos ara on paga A-6. "Ihe annual school ejection is a mation through the community Asian culture night One opportunity for citizens to and encouraging parents to vote The Weatteld Hkjh School school board members right up to Tuesday, she said. AaMn Am awes Oub wi spon- on the school budget "On election day, our Budget sor a right d Asian culture - looking for support of the Task Force will be calling the en- food, sntsrtsinmenl and prizes — Budget splits council with 7-2 vote g so that we can continue to tire parent community and asking from 6:304:30 p.m. tomorrow at maintain the educational programs tie high school. aw jnaMNff BBBRmum never seen a budget process in which there was no them to get out and vote, if they accountability, no planning for the future." expected by Westfield residents for Admission is $3.50. Food cou- THE RECORD haven't already," Mrs. Barrett said. However, Mr. Hely said he had no problem with the over 4,000 students in our town's "In effect, we will be saying, *We pons may be purchased at the nine public schools." event Tickets may be purchased Town Council Tuesday night introduced its $23.5 operational budget have attempted to let you know million budget by a 7-2 vote. Mayor Garland "Bud" "The only way to impact on the operational budget In an effort to gather voter mo- what's going on. It's in your best from dub members or by cafcng mentum, school activists and vol- (201) 763-€034. Boothe said he was "proud of the way the council has is to remove employees, and to do that we would have interest to express yourself on who managed the financial affairs of the town." to remove services," he said. "What I dont agree with unteers are looking to push the you want on the board and your The proposed budget calls for a $8,798,824 tax levy the priorities that were set in the capital improvement electorate to the polling places opinion of the budget.' " Symphony on TV-3 arena." Tuesday. One of those groups is and a tax rate of 49 cents per $100 of assessed value. In general, however, the parent) Suburban Cabtovfsion TV-3 wi It will increase the average tax bill from $702 to $845 Other members of the council spoke in favor of the Westflekl's Parent-Teacher Coun- air a taped performance of tie for the municipal budget budget cil. are not the problem, leaden say. WesMetd Symphony at 9:30 p.m. The budget dissenters included James Hefy, who "Basically this is a flat budget except for our deci- "We an very active, especially in "Parents are the ones most in- Tuesday. Repeat performances was dissatisfied with the capital improvement portion, sion to put money away into surplus for 1905," said working with the parent com- volved in schooling: at the mo- are 10:30 a.m. Apr! 25 and 9 p.m. and Anthony LaPorta, who was upset with the op- Gary Jenkins. "We needed to balance the town's munity to get them out to vote," ment,'* Mrs. Barrett said. "Any Apr! 29. The concert took place erating budget. needs with what the residents are wiling to pay for. FTC President Nancy Barrett said. non-parents, or parents whose chil- recently at tie Union County Arts "I think the council has abdicated its responsibility 1b cut into the operations budget would ultimately "We formed the Budget Task Force dren have already been through Center In Rahway. for the operating budget," said Mr. LaPorta. "IVe cut into the services. I'm very satisfied with it" to put a little bit of life in the par- the system, are far less interested ent community. We attempt to an- in the outcome." WNC brunch benefit The WsstlWd Neighborhood Board awards bids for four new classrooms Councils inviting the public to a brucnh at the Westfetd Y Sunday, •y JOANNE Mcff ADQgN enrollments at Washington, Wilson and Franklin schools. Five candidates, budget Apr! 25, torn 9:30 am.-2:30 p m. THE RECORD The Y to at 220 Clark SL In other news, the board: The brunch is tie coundrs first The Board of Education Tuesday awarded bids for e approved the creation of two new courses at West- on ballot for Tuesday fund-raiser and wHl benefit the pro- the construction of four permanent classrooms at field High School that will focus on ancient and medi- grams sponsored at the center at Washington School. Construction is expected to begin eval civilization. The two-semester course will offer Westfield's 17,850 registered vot- for this year's school election is the .127 Cacciola Place. These pro- this month; completion is set for December. Ancient Traditions, which will focus on Greek and ers will have the opportunity to highest since 1986 when there grams include after-school child The $508,154 cost will be funded through the bud- Roman civilizations, and Medieval Traditions, a study elect three dozens to the Board of were 18,004. Last year, with 16,634 care, student tutorials, evening ac- get reserve account The quotes came in at almost of the Middle Ages. Education and to vote on the 1993- voters registered, 18.7 percent cast tivities for teens, and a Saturday $60,000 under what the board had budgeted • It was also board member Bruce McFadden's last 94 school budget at the polls Tues- ballots in the school election. The youth program. According to Board Secretary Robert Rader, the public meeting, and his colleagues showed their ap- day. voter turnout is higher in Westfield Tickets to the brunch are $10 action was based on the current overcrowded condi- preciation by passing a resolution acknowledging his Five candidates are seeking than in the state — the state's av- for adults, $5 for chiWren under tions at Washington School and current and projected efforts.