Urged on by Republican Mayor Christopher Vergano, Wayne voters delivered a crushing defeat to children with a 5076 to 3018 rejection of a referendum that would have funded school construction in the Passaic County community.
Wayne held the special referendum election on March 12 for voters to decide whether to allow the township’s public school district to borrow $169.8 million in bonds to pay for various improvements to all the school facilities, build a new school, replace the high school bleachers, and make improvements to locker rooms and athletic facilities.
Vergano publicly railed against the referendum, using a council meeting to air his complaints and releasing several videos persuading residents that their elected representatives on the Wayne Board of Education are fiscally reckless although the needs articulated clearly justify the proposed costs.
Vergano alleged that he would have to pay an additional $429 for the next 25 years had the referendum passed and he claimed that the cost to area businesses would propel a wave of inflation that would burden consumers.
A year ago, in January 2023, Vergano proposed raising his own salary from $18,750 to $140,000 annually, an increase of 647% that was pulled from the agenda of the Wayne Township Council after an outcry from citizens.
The episode revealed that only one member of the governing body is willing to stand up to Vergano, who has also emasculated his supposed political opposition.
“I can’t say that this move to a full-time mayor is justified or not,” said Wayne Democratic Municipal Co-Chair Clark Okun. “This just feels like it’s coming out of the blue, and I wonder if this is something that the people of Wayne should vote on and not just the council.”
A genuine Democratic leader would have been more aggressive heading into a council election year but the meek response exposed a lack of organized opposition in the town.
Vocal citizens stepped up to criticize Vergano’s money grab but the ad hoc opposition faded before the Republican turned penny pincher against the necessary school referendum, which was supported by the Wayne Education Association.
Many of Wayne’s spaces are over 60 years old. Wayne Valley High School was built in the 1950s, and Wayne Hills was built soon after in 1966.
The district, comprising 15 schools, has an enrollment of just under 8,000 students with over 650 classroom teachers.
Every single school building needs updates to bring them into the 21st century, plus the growing population and future housing developments need to be addressed.
“This referendum passing is in the best interest for our students, current and future,” said high school teacher Justyna Sanzari. “As an educator, my students’ needs are at the forefront of importance, and those cannot be met under the current conditions in some of the school buildings.”
Wayne will still need the upgrades, but with the bond issue defeated, the entire cost will be funded by the local annual budget.