Fanwood Mayor Addresses School Budget Revisions

Just like at the Scotch Plains council meeting last night, Fanwood also took the time Tuesday to address the task of revising the school budget tax levy.

"As we all know the budget went down," Mayor Colleen Mahr said of the April 20 vote. "It was not close in the two communities."

Mahr said that Fanwood's subcommittee, along with the one in Scotch Plains, will meet with the superintendent and the Board of Education in the coming days to gain insight into the process and to gather information about services that may be worth cutting. The council will then work to make cuts that will impact students the least.

"If we have to go line by line, we will," she said, noting that the quality of education in Scotch Plains-Fanwood is of the greatest importance to the council and the town.

"Education has a direct effect on property taxes, has a direct effect on why people move to this town," Mahr said. "The question is where to make the cuts that will have the least impact on the students."

The public hearing on the revised tax levy is expected to be held either at the end of next week or on Monday, May 17.

Notice of the hearing will be released by the end of this week.