Residents warn council, cuts will affect education BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer EAST BRUNSWICK - Teachers, parents and other residents took turns voicing opposition to the Township Council's school budget cuts Monday before the governing body voted unanimously to reduce the tax rate increase by more than 70 percent. Most speakers were visibly upset or angry with the council's intentions and gave impassioned pleas againstmaking the cuts. Dana Rimbicki, a local parent and also a teacher at Hammarsjkold Middle School, said she was putting aside her speech to directly address the council about her feelings. She almost laughed at the notion that the cuts would not affect students in the classroom, as was stated. She was especially upset that the council removed new teaching and other positions from the budget, saying students have been looking forward to taking classes with those teachers in the upcoming school year. "Now we have to tell them it's cut," she said. Rimbicki said the budget, defeated in a vote of 2,350 to 2,319 on April 15, was rejected by a small margin and did not warrant such a large tax cut. She noted that the 2008-09 budget was tight to begin with. If the municipal budget was put out to vote, she said, it would also likely be rejected. People tend to show their frustrations over economic issues by voting down school budgets, Rimbicki said. The fact that the vote was held on tax day also impacted the school district's chances of getting the budget passed. But not everyone was upset by the cut. Resident Bernard Prohaska said that, if the funding is so important to education, teachers should give back some of the salary increases they've received over the years. He also said he was irked by a comment made about how the council needs to listen to the voices of people who voted in favor of the budget. When the budget passed a couple of years ago, he didn't hear anyone saying the council needed to listen to minority voices, he said. Abraham Quartin, another resident, said a lot of people are leaving East Brunswick because they cannot afford the annual tax increases. Dr. Susan Karp, a member of the Board of Education, said the new positions the council wants to cut are verymuch needed. She said, for example, that many students are coping with stress and need the services of guidance counselors and other staff. She said she does not think the council comprehends the effect that a $1million cut will have on students. Cathi Rugulo, a parent, said she also is faced with increasing costs in areas such as heating and gasoline, but she supports the school budget. She warned that the cuts recommended by the council will affect classroom education. She asked if the council members spoke to anyone at the school district before deciding to make the cuts. "Did you ask how kids will be affected by the cut of study time?" she asked. Rugulo said she moved to East Brunswick because of the quality of the school system. Another parent, Barbara Weinbaum, said she also worries about a decline in quality because of budget cuts. "Iwould hate for people to say 'What happened to East Brunswick? It used to be such a great place to bring up kids,'" she said.