Middletown Residents: Demand Transparency and Accountability

As we navigate the complex issue of the Board of Education's proposed budget, it's essential to separate fact from fiction. Unfortunately, the leadership of both our town and Board of Education have been misleading the public, hiding behind a veil of misinformation, and lacking transparency - all proof of irresponsible behavior.

The truth is that Middletown schools have been chronically losing funds for years, with the Board of Education quietly asking for less than needed – lagging well below the rate of inflation. This neglect affects 63% of our school children (not 5% that one township administrator incorrectly reported this week) since no elementary students deserve an overcrowded Middle School. This mismanagement has forced difficult decisions including:

1. Closing and selling a school
2. Overcrowding remaining schools
3. Draining reserve accounts (2025 UFB: page 8)
4. Now, facing the possibility of closing more schools or selling additional property

The originally proposed 4.88% tax increase by our Board leadership would have only provided short-term relief, requiring the closure of two schools and reassigning students from a third. Even with these drastic changes, the district would have faced future budget shortfalls as none of the proposed solutions fixed any of the underlying problems.

According to our leadership’s "Middletown Reimagined" plan, two more schools were also expected to close soon (River Plaza was quoted in the April 8th board meeting as the next option). This alarming trend will affect the majority of our community, not just a small group of residents.

A closer look at the past seven years reveals a disturbing pattern:

• The BOE has consistently and actively foregone funding for our schools demonstrating recurring fiscal mismanagement, at best. BOE leadership has seemingly undermined the economic stability of the school district intentionally, which is a much more serious offense.
• Because of their inaction, we are now facing a steep 10.1% tax hike. Not something ANYONE wants.
• Suggestions for additional cost savings, such as, reduced # of administrators, shared services with the township, selling land, renting after school facilities, and others are repeatedly turned down or ignored. Why?

It's time to hold the Middletown Township and Board of Education leaders accountable. In his televised press conference and social media announcement on April 3rd, Mayor Tony Perry offered to cover half of the $1.3 million for the cost of Class 3 officers and then rescinded the offer without explanation. If leadership had been fiscally responsible, we would not be facing a major tax increase today and the BOE could have had $24 million more in funding. With better year over year decision making we could have avoided draining reserves, prevented school closures, and even paid off bonds – saving the town $4–5 million a year.

Leadership has failed us and if we don’t do anything it’s going to get worse – fast. It's time to demand transparency and accountability from our leaders. We ALL deserve better.

When you read inflammatory headlines meant to pin the community against each other, deflecting accountability away from our leaders, look closer. This is a growing problem and if we don’t fight back now as a community, it's going to get worse – for every single person that lives in Middletown, NJ. Our current leadership is not working for all Middletown residents and it’s time that we demand they do.