The proposed budget of $89.7 million would raise the school tax rate by 9 cents.
By: Amanda Bok
Residents will have a chance Tuesday to vote on the proposed school budget, which contains the first substantial tax increase in three years, and select who will fill three open school board seats.
Polls will be open throughout the town from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
If approved, the proposed budget of $89.7 million would raise the school tax rate by 9 cents to $1.75 per $100 of assessed value for the 2001-2002 school year.
At the proposed tax rate, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $181,600 would pay about $3,178 in school taxes for the coming year, or about $163 more than last year.
The tax increase is largely due to an increase in enrollment.
Residents also will vote on five candidates who are running for three-year seats on the school board.
Incumbents are board members Harry Delgado, Anna Tupe and Matthew Speesler. Challengers are Arthur Robinson and Paul E. Prodromo.
This year’s proposed school tax increase, the first substantial tax hike in three years, is due largely to growth in student population, which equates to more money for teachers, salaries, supplies and energy costs.
Board members estimate enrollment will increase by about 427 students for the 2001-2002 school year. That equates to a 34.6 percent spending increase for supplies, to $1.2 million. Total instructional salaries will increase 12 percent, from $21.9 million to $24.6 million. Much of the increase will be used to cover the new teaching positions.
The board is proposing to add the full-time equivalent of 32.5 teaching positions. Full-time equivalents are the sum of teaching hours expressed as if they are full-time. The board also is proposing a $2.7 million increase for instructional salaries to cover an anticipated 5 percent to 5.7 percent increase in the number of students attending the township’s 10 schools.
The district also is anticipating a $1.2 million increase in debt payments. The district’s total debt service will increase 14.6 percent from about $8 million to about $9.3 million, because the district has begun to repay the $46.9 million borrowed for the construction of a new elementary school and for renovations to the Upper Elementary and high schools.
Special education costs will increase 13 percent from about $4.2 million to about $4.8 million. This includes 5.2 new staff positions and an 8 percent increase in instructional salaries, from about $3.5 million to about $3.8 million.
The cost of supplies will increase by 72 percent from about $61,000 to about $105,000.
Transportation costs will increase by 14.1 percent from about $4.4 million to about $5 million. This includes a 3 percent increase in total transportation salaries, from $1.3 million to $1.7 million.
The cost of providing heat, electricity and natural gas will increase by 37.2 percent from $1.8 million to $2.5 million.
Board members estimate an 8.9 percent increase in the price of electricity and a 69 percent increase in the price of natural gas. In June, the district’s two-year natural gas contract which fixed natural gas rates will expire.
All five board candidates are long-time residents of South Brunswick and have experience working with the community.
Lt. Delgado has lived in the township for 21 years. He is a commander of the Support Services Division with the township Police Department and has been a school board member for more than six years. He was vice president of the board for two years and currently is school board president.
Dr. Prodromo, a 22-year township resident, practices internal medicine in North Brunswick.
Mr. Robinson is an 11-year township resident. He is a production supervisor with Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals, LLC, and a member of the Planning Board.
Dr. Speesler is a 17-year township resident. He is a pediatrician in the township and has been a school board member for the last three years.
Ms. Tupe is a 17-year township resident and school nurse with the Eden Institute on Route 1. She has been a school board member for the last six years.
Polling places are:
- Indian Fields School: Districts 1, 4, 14;
- Senior Center: Districts 2, 13, 15, 20;
- Kingston First Aid Building: District 3;
- Community Center, New Road: Districts 5, 6, 9, 16, 19;
(District 16 was moved from Little Rocky Hill Fire House)
- Constable School: Districts 7, 10;
- St. Augustine’s School Gym: Districts 8, 12, 18;
(District 12 was moved from Brunswick Acres)
- Brunswick Acres School: District 11;
- Crossroads School, Room C-102: District 17.