Did a majority of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors really listen to the will of the people when voting on a 1.5-cent real estate tax increase last week? The board’s decision on April 19 left the Gloucester County School Board short over a million dollars from what it requested as a local transfer in its proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

The sitting board has touted itself as working as a unified team, looking out for the good of all county citizens. However, after what seemed to many like a good compromise to consider a two-cent increase on the tax rate, one board member flipped his decision, causing the majority to vote in favor of the lower tax rate. This meant $200,000 less that could have gone to the school board.

During a final budget work session on April 18, at-large supervisor John Meyer Jr. proposed a motion for the two-cent increase on the tax rate. When that same motion was brought up the following night at the final vote on the budget, Meyer surpri...