The time has come and hopefully everyone goes out and votes. We all know what is at stake. Make the decision that is best for you.

Yes get out and support our childrens education,they are our future.I am also voting Yes on the referendum I am completly convinced that this will save us money in the long run.Private sanitation is way too risky.Many horror stories out there.

YES on school budget, YES on referendum!

Keep Brick the great community it is!
Support public education for once in this town!

whatever your fellings.........VOTE! Too many people have died or suffered for our right to vote. So, Please honor their sacrifice and vote

Voting No against both budgets. Stop squandering tax payer money!

I am voting Jim off the island

A quick anecdote as we enter "judgment day..." A few years back, there was a hotly-debated school referendum vote in Brielle, the public discussion of which spurred almost everyone in town to put "Vote Yes" or "Vote No" signs on their lawns. One clever resident had a huge "Vote Maybe" sign made up and put it right outside his house, which was on a main road. And with that -- I'll just say we will be there tomorrow evening to cover everything - yes, no or maybe.

To the people of brick get out and really think before you vote , don't vote your services down just thinking you are getting back at the mayor , that starts in nov on how you want to change things or not . Just think and vote

YES TO BOTH ITS BEST FOR MOST Money is not always the most important factor when making a decision ,sometimes you just have to do what is right and best.Vote YES to both.

Regardless how you vote today. In Novemeber don't forget the incompetent, self serving, disconnected elected officals, that placed us in this position and vote them....OUT OF OFFICE. To anyone thinking of running for an elected position. Be honest and up-front in the beginning. Please don't start your campaign with "I want to give back to my community" if all you plan on doing is take, take take.

Spend , Spend, and Spend.....everybody just loves to spend on this site. The school broad with all these supervisors that don't teach. Its crazy, no money for paper, pencils, and books. But loads of money for AC conventions, and crazy supervisor jobs. The township should be fine with $90 million.....really, and as for the Township bill, this garbage needs to go private to increase other services, like police, recreation, and senior services.....so a no vote helps all!

We have a loss of service at hand and its cheaper to keep them in house. Vote yes to maintain our services and keep the quality of life where it is

There were quite a few time I remember some folks say "compare us to Toms River" for this thing or that thing, well in an article this morning in the APPress, Toms River, apparently they can run that town on $98M, they will have a 1.9% increase this year.

http://www.app.com/article/20110426/NJNEWS15/110426066/Toms-River-council-adopts-98-million-budget?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

At this point it's too late to argue whether or not to vote yes or no, I'm sure by now anyone who will be voting has already made their own personal decisions. Let the chips fall wherer they may, I know how I voted and in the end that's all that really matters.

Today is a very important day for all residents of Brick today. Before you vote, think about this. In 2008 the mayor laid off DPW employees. Many of them appealed, won and got their jobs back. They also received all the back pay they lost while on lay off. Then we had a major snow storm December 26. The mayor went public on Fox News and slammed the DPW for 11 employees that called out sick. What he failed to mention they were calling for help to get to work because they were snowed in. In the end it was 3 people who did not report to work. Did the Mayor admit he spoke without having all the facts? The Mayor wants to eliminate the DPW, and if the referendum fails he will be jumping for joy because he can make them all pay for making him look like the arrogant bastard he truly is. He can make the residents pay because we did not want the Ice Palace/community center. Place your vote based on what is best for you, your family, neighbors and friends. Or you can vote yes if for no other reason than to screw the Mayor over without having to give him a kiss! Good Luck to all today.

I see Brick Township is installing more red light cameras. The powers that be insist it is not for the money. Take the money made and apply it to the taxbase for tax relief. My taxes have tripled since living here.

The best thing about our town is the Wall of Heros thats in town hall. All the folks that are serving their country are posted. Dave N

I'm very disappointed thet the Mayor, Council, and PBA did not feel the need to make any concessions like the other two unions did. Apparently they feel very secure.

As a lifelong resident of Brick enough is enough. I cannot vote NO quick enough. All the concerns about trash pickup are nonsense. When does the overspending stop? This is todays economic things and the job will get done with less employees. The superiors are in place to insure the job gets done.

This is the way to go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8qFvo2qJOU&feature=player_embedded

Down the road yes, but sudden change, no. Vote Yes

That sounds like how we will be dealing with the national debt too. There is no more down the road, we are at the end.

only in new jersey can we complain about paying the highest taxes in the country and yet still have so many people think the best thing for us is to vote to raise our taxes. we are obviously the stupidest people on the planet.

our town council and mayor have resorted to extortion to raise our taxes. there is so much waste in this town that can be cut without affecting township services, only problem is then we wouldnt need to raise taxes. our town council and mayor chose these services and positions they are cutting for the sole reason that they would affect the citizens of brick the most. i am voting NO to both referendums and they can take my services, but rest assured i will assist in voting every one of them out of office.

"Just heard that the PBA made a hugh concession. Anyone else hear that."; "A friend said he read it in a local paper."; "Thanks PBA you finally will shut some of these people up"

Have not seen anything on the PBA concessions- It would have surely been in the Patch

This was the last on Patch, and was dated 16 April:
"“Right now, they are in negotiations with the business administrator and the mayor,” said Council President Brian DeLuca, of the PBA. “I feel good about it, there’s been a lot of progress made.”

If the PBA agrees to concessions, the budget figures could be modified by the April 5 budget adoption date."

It's fine for those with little to lose to play chicken with the mayor and his administration, but as a renter with two kids in the recreation program I stand to be lose a nice chunk of my take home if this referendum goes down. I'm going to hold my nose and vote "YES". I refuse to act against my family's best interest for the sake of principle.

I know it's selfish, but who out there is really selfless?

Just a note: Unconfirmed, election day surprise rumors will be deleted. Polls are open 'til 9 p.m. We'll be here all day and through the evening to bring everyone any developments and the eventual results.

Jose you are obviously voting "NO". What is your motivation? I'm sure it has nothing to do with your own interests. Aren't we all 21st century American's here on the Brick Patch!

Remember 80 percent of Brick residents will pay less for sanitation if this passes.Once the private guys are in we are screwed.VoteYES!

So the Mayor and council want to take away garbage and recycling. Tell me, what happens to all the income from the Recycling when its dried up. Short minded Politics is why we are where we are. Vote No..

Catpan and I hope your landlord passes that expense on to you because I know I will be forwarding it on to my tenants.

Just curious why does this article not state and why people do not mention the fact that the School District Budget is under the 2% cap? It only mentions a dollar figure of the increase where with the town issue it's about percentages.
No hiding with me I voted yes to both even though I am unhappy with the process and do believe that we need to fix Trenton before we can ever fix Brick. As Dennis Miller say, " That's Just My Opinion I Could Be Wrong".

Also glad that we live in a country where we can vote!

Almost everyone within a 3 block radius has voted already, so far the yes are in the majority. Hope this continues through out the town but I don't expect the expensive waterfront homeowners to vote yes.

Ginny - Maybe your tennants ask for concessions if the referendum doesn't pass. Why you wish that for me? Seems kind of juvenile. State your reason and make your case. I put my situation out there for discussion. I don't like the tactics the mayor is using and I don't find the equity in paying our public employees so much more than the average private sector taxpayer earns in our town, but when I reflect on the situation it seems that it is better to vote for the patch today and look for long term solutions in the months to come.

FYI Ginny, if it wasn't for me paying 2k a month in rent there is good chance the town would be collecting zero on the property. My landlord bought the home at the height of the market and then his relationship went south. He is over 50k underwater and without my rent, I doubt he would bother paying the mortgage or real estate taxes. Unoccupied units are a landlords worst nightmare, so when you have tenant that pays on time and takes care of the place, then you don't do anything to upset the applecart.

FYI Catpan - the state of nj bylaws for tenant landlords clearly states that any landlord may raise their tenants for any additional costs that are incurred including but not limited to property tax increase. If your landlord choices not to do that well good for you, but it is my legal right to pass on expenses and it my tenants right to decide if they want to pay it or find another rental.

Very good. I'm also a landlord of a commercial property, so I am experiencing both sides of equation. My landlord chooses to keep me happy. Just as I do my best to work with my tenant. I am not a property attorney, but I am rather certain that the terms of the lease govern the lease payments. Your assertion that landlords may raise their tenants rents for additional costs incurred due to property tax increases may or may not be true depending on the lease structure. Anyway, good luck with your properties.

You all are nuts if you vote yes- everyone constantly complains about taxes being too high and then you would vote to raise them? The governor finally did something good by putting a cap on taxes. Hello? Why doesn't the township try to live within their budgets than asking the hardworking taxpayers to give them more money so they can spend on things that are not really needed. I work too hard for my money and I am not giving the Township anymore than they get already. Maybe it's time the township try to learn how to work in a budget and stop spending. VOTE NO!

You r so right Sandy.

VOTE YES TO KEEP BRICK WHAT WE ALL GREW AND NOW LOVE IT TO BE... DONT VOTE OUT OF HATRED BUT WITH HEART AND BRAIN

Thanks Ginny and Cosmo - It's nice to see there are some intelligent people out there!

The polls close in about a half an hour. Here is a website that you can see the results. To see the results of the School Budget and Referendum questions, scroll down towards the bottom (listed by town)
http://www.clerk.co.ocean.nj.us/ElectionSite/

The poll results are starting to show on the sight. I find it hard to believe that Leone has that many votes. This is the same person that was chasing a Code Enforcement truck saying that they were her signs. They were taken down for putting them in places that were deemed in violation of the ordinance. Funny, those Yes signs remained in places that were also in violation. I have pictures of both.
Looks like the NO vote is leading on the Referendum. I am surprised to see that it looks like the School Budget is going to get defeated as well.

It turns my stomach if Leone remains in. She does not deserve a seat. She took away too much from our kids. If she remains in, she will be used and abused like she did to the others.

This town amazes me. The Referendum is a 24.6% increase of the municipal tax and people are falling for the scare tactics. The school budget was under two percent and it is being defeated so far. UNBELIEVABLE!

We won