April 22, 2009 - 9:45am
Inside Edge

Among gubernatorial candidates, only Corzine's neighbors vote down school budget

School budgets passed in the hometowns of every major candidate for Governor but the incumbent.  In Hoboken, where Gov. Jon Corzine lives, voters rejected the proposed school budget by 111 votes (52%-48%). 

In Mendham Township, the hometown of two Republican candidates, former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie and Assemblyman Rick Merkt, the school budget passed 482-393, 55%-45%.  In Bogota, where Steven Lonegan served three terms as Mayor, voters passed the budget by 37 votes, 54%-46%. 

Glen Ridge, the hometown of Corzine's Democratic primary challenger, former Mayor Carl Bergmanson, approved their school budget by a 65%-35% margin, 252 votes.   In Franklin Township, where Republican Brian Levine is Mayor, the budget passed by 1,385 votes, 65%-35%.

After defeating the budget the last two years, voters in Phillipsburg (where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roger Bacon resides) approved a school budget that included over $2 million in cuts.  In Republican David Brown's hometown, South Brunswick, the school budget was approved with 68% of the vote, a 1,328 vote margin.

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.