Aid Loss Forces $2M Budget Cut Tomorrow Is the Deadline to Dominate Teachers for the 1994 Charles Philhower Fellow, Dr
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Set your table Setting the pace Yes, she Is You could win Freshman Suzy Kozub is A chat with "Athlete of Season" an Easter ham Melissa Etheridge See pages A-2, A-3 *•• Sports, page A-13 $•• VftrttndPlus .4 (A II HHATION The^festfielThursday, March 17,1994 d Record Vol. 5, No. 11 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents ; BBBBi BSS^^^^SiWSWSi^Si^BBBSJBSSBSSBlBB™^SJS<SJSJSwJSSBBB^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^BlHS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^S^^^H^^^^S^ I Briefs Nominations are due Aid loss forces $2M budget cut Tomorrow is the deadline to Dominate teachers for the 1994 Charles Philhower Fellow, Dr. Smith sees property tax hikes with program reductions based on outstanding teaching, interest in children and contin- sV NtCOUA-QAVINNKOU A. QAVN4OO Dr. Smith anticipates »neea needd toto cucutt in yean,years," Dr. Smith said. "ThThe day, leaving school officials with laslost year. The largest loss will bie a ued pursuit of professional THE RECORD more than $2 million in the current task before the Westfield Board of less than a week to re-draft their Vi cut in transition aid, equaling a| growth. working draft budget, while work- Education Is to reduce our working budget loss of nearly $400,000 for West- According to Schools Superin- ing within a decreased cap per- draft budget by $2,070,963." At press time, Westfield hadn't field Eligible persons must have tendent Mark C. Smith, Westfield centage of about 4.2 percent The result of this will be In- received exact figures, but only re- Categorical aid, which includes; taught K-5 for S years in West- will definitely see a rise in property "We're looking at a combination creased property taxes and the loss ceived word on the governor's plan special education, transportation, field. Send letters to 547 taxes and cuts in programs to of a reduction of Vi in transition of programs and services," he con- for school funding. According to bi-lingua), and at-risk aid, will re- Snackamaxon Dr. cover a "severe loss in state aid." aid, the third year of a freezing of tinued. this plan, the state will completely main the same as last year. School With word from Trenton on Gov- categorical aid, and the most re- The school board will meet to eliminate desegregation aid, of officials still anticipate the need for Revue postponed ernor Whitman's budget proposal, strictive cap the schools have seen vote on a tentative budget on Tues- which Westfield received $100,000 (Please turn to page A-2) ; The March 18-19 "Our Town" Bicentennial' Revue was post- poned until October due to pro- duction delays. Council anxious Alzheimer's benefit The Meridian Nursing Center will sponsor a craft sale 10 am- about aid for 4 pjn. Saturday to benefit the NJ. Alzheimer's Association. Women's support its budget, too A menopause support group will meet at Temple Emanu-El, WiCOLE their school counterparts, have ex- Monday at 7:30 p.m. Call 654- pressed deep concern over the pos- 4737. THE RECORD sible loss of state aid. Mayor Garland 'Bu, ' jothe The Town Council will meet next 1 Moms at Work Wednesday night to discuss the pointed out tha . local y- t^ . The support group, Moms at revenue portion of its tentative owners only pay about one-third ui. Work, will meet 11:30 a.m. 1994 budget Figures of state aid the town's $24 million budget, with TUesday at the Suburban Fit- revenue should come in this week the other two-thirds coming from ness Center. so that town officials can begin to other revenues, a large portion of anticipate how much local taxpay- which is state aid. In fact, Westfield ers will be asked to pay. received nearly $4 million in state Give Blood According to finance Chairman aid last year. The Westfield Board of Realtors James Gruba, council already has a Unfortunately, this $4 million it sponsoring a community fairly good idea of how much was less than they received in 1992 blood drive Wednesday, 9 a.m.- money the town will have from all and contributed to the town's need & p.m. in front of 43 Elm St other areas of revenue except state to raise their local tax revenue Call 2321800. aid. At the same time, he said the nearly 20 percent last year. Town town "is pretty well set in terms of officials realize that a cut in state Teen sex talk the capital and operating budget." aid this year means either budget Hey! That hurts! The Town Council plans to have a cuts or a rise in property taxes. Author Molly Kelly will ad- SHARON WiLSOrVTHE RECORD total budget under $25 million by If the town experiences a signifi- dress 'Teens and Their Sex- For Brtezer, being a poodle lent all a bod of LL Bean cedar chlp-atuffad, tartan-covered keeping the budget within the 2.5 cant loss in aid, Mr. Gruba said uality" 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at cushions you know. There's the business of rabies Inoculations Ilk* th« onee given by the percent cap. "we probably wouldn't raise taxes WHS. Call 233-7455. health department at Fire Station No. 2 Tueeday afternoon. Good thing owner Uta Chervela This means that once state fig- to support the budget as it stands was on hand to lend some comfort. ures are announced, officials can now, instead we'd go back and re- Music at noon figure out what amount they need look the expense side." The First Congregational from taxpayers to make the total On the expense side, things Church continues Mid-Day Mu- revenue equal to the total ap- could also change. The State As- sicales Wednesday with Cellist Child ID programs propriations they have set. sembly is currently encouraging Joel Dallow and Pianist David When asked what percent in- municipalities to waive the 2.5 per- Second-graders The Westfielft Police De- crease property owners can expect cent cap and double it in order to Pasbrig. partment will offer a child if Westfield receives the same cover the unexpected winter costs. identification program April 9 amount of state aid, Mr. Gruba said Last week, the Westfield Town Hadassah art show and May 7 from 10 a.m- he doesn't want to put a number Council approved a temporary cap- noon. Police headquarters on that, but he can assure citizens ital budget which includes $95,000 The 36th annual Hadassah love leprechauns will be open for all children that "it won't have to be a signifi- Art Show and Sale will be held to receive fingerprints, and an for road repairs. "This is money at Temple Emanu-El, Sunday chaun's "cuts and scars," the lepre- cant increase." Additionally, Mr. that we wouldn't be spending in a By CHEKYLHEHL instant photo. Gruba said that at this time any- through Wednesday. Call 233- chaun thanked Thomas and re- The service is free for all normal year," explained Mr. Gruba. 6531. THE RECORD warded him for helping him. resident children and all thing can change. First of all, the "We're holding open our option to Brittany Rice, on the other hand, identification information is current budget draft would only double our cap, which is our pre- Kids say the darndest things, es- function if the town receives the pecially when they are second- only asked her new friend for a given to parents for use in rogative, to cover our costs the Spring Boutique four-leaf clover, played tag and situations in which quick ID predicted amount of state aid. winter has brought us." Polly Reilly's 26th Spring graders who must figure out what they would do if a Leprechaun then bid him goodbye, is needed. Call Sgt James The town has been waiting for Mr. Gruba explained that initial- Boutique is open in Andrea's came home with them for a day. Jeffrey David Matthews left Schneider at 789-4000 for the governor's budget message to ly he wanted to stay under the Furniture Store until March 24. Westfield McKinlcy School stu- nothing to the imagination, in- more information. get an idea of the state aid 2.5% cap by deferring costs, or tak- A hand-painted trunk is being dents in Susanne Gcohegan's class cluding detailing every aspect of amounts. Town officials, not unlike (Please turn to page A-2) raffled to benefit the American know more about these mythical what occurred. Evan such minor Cancer Society. Call 233-4680. miniature fellows than you might details as how the dryer vent fell expect. off and the leprechaun "popped out," was explained. Party on ice Gold did not. matter to Lauren Heather Idland started out say- The Westfield Recreation Stc-lle-r. She was more concerned ing sho would "beg" for the pot of with finding a scapegoat for when Commission will hold an* ice 1 gold BO "1 would be so rich that skating party at Warlnanco hoi pnrents were "mad nt me." everyone would come to my house Pink 6-8 p.m. March 27. Call Then she said. "1 would blame it and befj ine for some of my gold," 7894080. on the leprcchnun " Jason Mesehes told quite a tale Brian Bigelow followed thr same about Ins day with a leprechaun, train of thought, suRfiestintf he revealing that he tricked his new.' Spring classes would trick his new found Inend friend into doing all his homework. Register now for the recre- and then ask for the pot of gold. Emily Colvin also saw her lepre- ation commission's spring pro- Thomas Killian had a profound chaun us someone who could per grams set to begin March 28.