Editor, Asbury Park Sun,

Earlier today, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division preserved the principle that a citizen’s right to vote is an essential foundation of this nation’s democratic traditions when it refused Ocean BOE’s attempt to prevent an election from taking place in the Village of Loch Arbour on April 4th.

After three consecutive defeats over the last 2 months, it’s time for the Ocean BOE to recognize the Village of Loch Arbour’s right to self-govern and abandon its costly appeal, thereby saving both towns from needlessly spending additional monies on attorneys.

The majority of Loch Arbour’s voters will decide on April 4th where the Loch Arbour students will attend public school.  If Loch Arbour votes to withdrawal its 14 students currently enrolled in the Ocean Township school district, then the remaining 3,500 students will be residents of Ocean Township.  It is fair and reasonable to expect Ocean Township residents to pay the costs for a school district exclusively attended by Ocean Township residents.