Jersey Town Takes Neighboring Town to Court Over Referendum About Where to Send Students to School, Lost

East Newark's children attend schools in Harrison but a tuition hike prompted them to consider Kearny. Harrison didn't want voters of E. Newark to decide

A Hudson County Superior Court judge has upheld East Newark's right to place a non-binding referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot asking voters whether the borough's students should attend high school in Harrison or Kearny.

Judge Peter Bariso Jr. ruled earlier this week that the borough's elected officials have the right to initiate the referendum, since the borough has an appointed school board and Mayor Joseph R. Smith, along with two council members, comprise 60 percent of East Newark's Board of School Estimate, according to Smith.