The BRICK Times Vol. 22 - No. 47
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
In This Week’s Edition
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
April 8, 2023
STUDENTS FACE OFF IN COURT
FOR MOCK TRIAL By Alyssa Riccardi BRICK – “Objection!” – was yelled throughout the courtroom in town hall as students from both Brick Township and Brick Memorial High Schools took the stand during their annual Mayor’s Cup mock trial. The event is a long-standing tradition in the town, and coincides with the Ocean
County Mock Trial Competition. The two teams argued over a fictional criminal case that has real life facts. This year’s case was Dylan Saler no v Sam Arena: 17-year-old Rory Salerno died after participating in a social media challenge involving energy drinks. (Trial - See Page 4)
Community News Page 9-10
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Inside The Law Page 17
─Photo by Alyssa Riccardi Defense lawyer Bryanna Morales presents their closing statement.
School District Introduces $161.1M Tentative Budget
Town Budget To Have No Tax Rate Increase
By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - Mayor Lisa Crate introduced her first municipal budget since becoming mayor last month. During the March 28 Council Meeting, t he mayor said t he “fiscally responsible” $115,739,974 spend-
ing plan calls for no i ncrease i n t he t ax rate of the township’s portion and still provides the funds for all municipal ser vices. T h e b u d g e t s h ow s an increase of about 3.4 percent over last year’s budget. “This does not speak to any increases in the
portions of your property taxes controlled by Br ick Tow nsh ip public schools, t he Ocean Count y government or your local fire district,” she said. The township portion is roughly 30 percent of the property tax bill. The spending plan
c o nt i nu e s t o move the township forward, the mayor said, and she considers the proposed budget to be “a statement of the values and a blueprint of what this administration wants Brick Township to be and how we get there.” (Tax - See Page 20)
By Alyssa Riccardi BRICK – The Brick Township Board of Education has approved a tentative budget of $161.1 million for the 2023-24 school year. According to the recent board agenda, the tentative budget is $161,141,287, including debt service, and
$120,466,734 is to be raised by property taxes. The overall number includes the general fund, special revenues, and debt service. The district’s general fund, which aids the majority of the district and its operation, is $147,075,262 with a tax levy of $120,332,599.
Brick was one of many districts suffering under S-2, a law that lowered state aid for some districts and sent it elsewhere. Despite the bill hurting state aid funding for Brick Schools, the overall tax levy increase is only 1.77% since the (School - See Page 8)
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