School budgets deserve more attention from voters

How apathetic will people be for this year's school board and budget elections on April 17? If two separate meetings I attended this past week are any indication then this election, like most others, will be poorly attended.

On March 22 I attended the Marlboro K-8 School District budget presentation at the Marlboro Middle School and you could count on both hands the number of people in attendance.

On March 26 I attended the Freehold Regional High School District budget presentation, which followed a sports award presentation. The sports award was so well attended there was standing room only outside the meeting room. However, as soon as the presentation was over, the room emptied out and we were left with less than 10 people in attendance. The amount of additional time everyone would have had to stay to see the presentation amounted to about a half-hour total.

So why is there such apathy? Is it because people inherently know that most, if not all, of these budgets pass and that there will always be tax increases? I have to ask why people are not more interested in what is being requested and where the money will be spent.

Now is the time to assess the schools and see if they are meeting the requirements you, as parents, are looking for your children. If they are being met then you should vote "yes" on the proposed budgets. Of course, if you do not see this, then vote no and voice your opinion. But any way you look at it, everyone should vote in these elections. With absentee ballots available, there is no excuse not to.

Barry Hochberg

Marlboro