WW-P’S FREE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER WWPINFO.COM WEST WINDSOR Letters: Residents Petition For Tax Freeze 11 & PLAINSBORO Parents Question Superintendent On Budget 15 Judge Refuses To Hear Morgan’s Lawsuit 17 Police Reports 33 Classifieds 35 A Green Guide For Families 36 FOLLOW WWPINFO ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER FOR TIMELY UPDATES NEWS ISSUE DATE: APRIL 16, 2010 NEXT ISSUE:APRIL 30 School Officials Maneuver To Minimize Tax Increase by Cara Latham Board President Hemant Marathe. “An average house doesn’t pay t’s the $190 question that has $198 more than last year. It’s only created debate in the days be- $8 more than what the average Ifore the school election on homeowner last year paid.” Tuesday, April 20. School district To look at the numbers other- officials say the average increase wise is incorrect, he argued. Tak- to West Windsor taxpayers under ing the tax rates for both this year this year’s budget is $8. West and last year and measuring them Windsor Township officials, on against the same assessment is not the other hand, are using a method an accurate representation of the that calculates it to be $198. tax impact because many resi- The confusion is rooted in the dents’ homes are not assessed as formulas each is using to portray high as they were last year. the average Marathe school tax im- said that three pact. School Is it $8 or $198? The con- of the six West officials say fusion over the average Windsor that because school board assessed home West Windsor tax in- members are values on aver- crease is rooted in the seeing their age in West formulas being used by taxes go down Windsor have — a trend for decreased, the the School District and many town- tax impact West Windsor Township. ship home- should be cal- owners. WW-P Spring culated by Measuring South’s Evan Smith and North’s Neal DeVincenzo comparing the tax bill of a home faced off in the crosstown grudge match on April 10. the tax impact using one assess- Sports Warm Up with last year’s average valuation ment “ignores the fact that given North came away with the victory, 7-5. against the taxes paid on a home the decline in assessed value, a ust a little more than two weeks using this year’s lower average whole bunch of people are paying Jinto the spring sports season in valuation. less,” said Larry Shanok, the assis- WW-P, the season is already shap- halyi has scored 16 goals and 6 as- The Pirates — both boys and Township officials in West tant superintendent for finance. ing up to be a good one. sists so far. She leads the team in girls — have also played well, with Windsor are using a different ap- “There are a number of communi- The hottest teams right now are points, already having racked up the boys posting an opening record proach. Their calculations apply ties, including Village Grande, the North girls’ lacrosse and South 25. The girls defeated Robbinsville of 4-1 and the girls beginning with this year’s 4-cent tax increase to a where their assessments are low- tennis teams, both of which remain on April 13 to give coach Beth 5-1. For the boys, Alex Rohrbach constant assessed valuation for er.” undefeated so far and were not Serughetti her 100th career win. already has 21 points. 2009 and 2010 and show an aver- “It appears from what people scheduled to play on Thursday, Meanwhile, North’s boys (5-1) The boys’ lacrosse teams face age increase of $198. are telling us that our assessed val- April 15. are also on top of their game, led by “Nobody is going to pay taxes For the North girls’ lacrosse Todd Petrone who has scored 18 Continued on page 18 on last year’s assessment,” said Continued on page 16 team, off to a 5-0 start, Jacquie Mi- goals. Petrone has a total 25 points. DAY-BY-DAY INPLAINSBORO & WEST WINDSOR For more event listings visit Drama Dancing www.wwpinfo.com. For timely up- Tom, Dick, and Harry, Off-Broad- Jersey Jumpers, Central Jersey dates, follow wwpinfo at Twitter street Theater, 5 South Green- Dance Society, Unitarian Church, and on Facebook. wood Avenue, Hopewell, 609- 50 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, 466-2766. www.off-broadstreet.- 609-945-1883. East Coast Swing com. Ray Cooney farce about a and lindy hop lessons followed by couple awaiting a visit from an an open dance with DJ Phil Chan. Friday adoption agency. $27.50 to No partner needed. $12. 7:30 p.m. $29.50. 7 p.m. April 16 Rent, Kelsey Theater, Mercer Classical Music County Community College, Princeton University Concerts, 1200 Old Trenton Road, 609-570- Princeton University Art Museum, School Sports 3333. www.kelseytheatre.net. 609-258-5000. www.princeton.- Jonathan Larson’s rock musical edu/utickets. “Mistress of the Arts: For WW-P school sports infor- captures lessons of love, loss, and Music and Dance in Madame de mation, call the hotline: 609-716- life in New York City’s Alphabet Pompadour’s Versailles.” 8 p.m. 5000, ext. 5134, www.ww-p.org. City in the early 1990s. $16. 8 p.m. North Baseball. At Notre Dame. 4 Cinematic Titanic, McCarter The- Folk Music p.m. ater, 91 University Place, Prince- Martyn Wyndham Read, Prince- North Boys Tennis. Robbinsville. ton, 609-258-2787. www.- ton Folk Music Society, Christ 4 p.m. mccarter.org. The creators and Congregation Church, 50 Walnut stars of Mystery Science Theater Lane, Princeton, 609-799-0944. North Girls Lacrosse. Ewing. 4 3000 bring the concept of MST3K www.princetonfolk.org. English p.m. to the stage featuring five perform- singer presents Australian folk North Softball. At Notre Dame. 4 ers flanking a jumbo movie screen songs. $20. 8:15 p.m. p.m. and commenting on movies from the past. $25 and up. 8 p.m. South Baseball, 609-716-5000, Jazz & Blues ext. 5134. At Steinert. 4 p.m. Reefer Madness, Theatre Intime, Orrin Evans Trio, Arts Council of It’s All About That Little Red-Headed Girl: Hamilton Murray Theater, Prince- South Boys Tennis, 609-716- Princeton, 102 Witherspoon ton University, 609-258-1742. The Yardley Players presents‘Annie,’featuring Sally 5000, ext. 5134. At Ewing. 4 p.m. Street, 609-924-8777. www.arts- www.theatreintime.org. Musical councilofprinceton.org. Jazz pi- Page of Princeton, left, as Lily St. Regis, Joe Zedeny of South Girls Lacrosse, 609-716- co-produced with Princeton Uni- anist Orrin Evans and his trio. $35. East Windsor as Rooster Hannigan, and Laurie Hardy 5000, ext. 5134. Allentown. 4 p.m. versity Players. $12. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. South Softball, 609-716-5000, of Hamilton as Miss Hannigan. ‘Annie’comes to Kelsey ext. 5134. At Steinert. 4 p.m. Theater April 23 through May 2. See story page 23. Continued on page 22 2 THE NEWS APRIL 16, 2010 Views & Opinions To the Editor: than $1 million in savings for the 2010-11 school year. In addition, Superintendent the Board is in the process of final- izing agreements with other em- Addresses Budget ployee unions that will provide for no salary increases in the 2010-11 he current fiscal crisis in the school year. Likewise, I and the TState of New Jersey calls for central office administrators will Richard K. Rein the support of all who care about not receive any additional com- Editor and Publisher the excellent education provided in pensation. Other cost savings in- Cara Latham West Windsor Values our communities. On March 17, clude $1.6 million related to Build- News Editor we learned that our school district ings and Grounds and $0.8 million lost 71 percent of our general state Lynn Miller 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath, popular ‘Augusta’ model has been meticulously main- in a reduced number of district ad- Community News Editor tained and upgraded. Beautiful leaded glass front door with transom and side- aid: $7.6 million. We had already ministrators. Supplies, capital Brian McCarthy lights. 9’ ceilings on the 1 st floor. 1st floor office with French doors and boxed prepared a lean spending, bay windows. The gourmet Kitchen features 42” cabinetry, granite counters budget following bussing, and se- Craig Terry & Island with breakfast bar and upgraded appliances. Adjacent to the Kitchen our practice of lected co-curric- Photography is the Vaulted Family Room with skylights, cherry flooring, fireplace and rear moderating We believe these reduc- staircase. Outside the custom tiered ular activities Vaughan Burton deck leads to a private ‘Sundance’ growth in spend- tions, though painful, have also been Production ing each year Spa with room for 6. The deck leads maintain the integrity reduced. There Diana Joseph-Riley to a circular patterned paver patio over the past sev- of our educational will be fewer ele- Martha Moore and beautifully landscaped yard en years. Within mentary health Account Representatives backing common area. $799,900. days, we had to program. and computer Bill Sanservino adjust the budget teachers, middle to reflect this loss and high school Production Manager of revenue in order to meet the teachers, guidance counselors, in- Lawrence L. DuPraz 1919-2006 deadline of submission to the New structional assistants, bus drivers, Founding Production Adviser Jersey Department of Education and secretaries. So Much to See County Office as required by law. Euna Kwon Brossman We believe that these reductions Jack Florek, Bart Jackson in This Lovely Home!!! The budget to be voted on April 20 — though painful — maintain the Pritha Dasgupta shows a 0 percent budget to budget integrity of our educational pro- increase in expenditures.