N.B. schools expecting near 17-cent increase
Public hearing on the
$52 million plan
Tuesday night
The North Brunswick Board of Education unanimously approved a preliminary budget last night that will call for a near 17-cent increase.
"In light of all of the fiscal problems, I am confident that we can decrease the budget down to a 15-cent increase," said board President Rita Goldstein.
Board Vice President Barbara Snepar and member Kevin Williams were absent from Tuesday night’s meeting.
The total for the proposed 2002-2003 school budget is $52,767,686. Last year, the total amount was $48,317,209. The local tax levy is expected to be $44,911,361 for this plan, as opposed to last year’s levy of $40,022,839.
Last year’s plan provided a 15-cent increase to taxpayers from $1.65 per $100 of assessed valuation to $1.85. This year’s proposed increase will raise that to $2.02.
The increase would mean an additional $340 in school taxes for a home valued at $200,000.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Rimmer said that he has confidence in the community’s support of education.
"I am confident that this community will support the budget," said Rimmer. "They have proven that they are supportive of education. They will want to maintain the high quality programs that we have in the schools. They recognized the need for a renovation at the high school. I am sure they will show support for this budget."
The budget has no new programs added, according to Goldstein.
"We’re at the point where we are maintaining the program," Goldstein said.
With Gov. Jim McGreevy’s cuts in the state aid given to districts, it is not going to be an easy year, according to board member Nicholas Puleio.
McGreevey froze state aid to the districts to help close a $3 billion budget shortfall.
"We are facing a difficult year — that hurts us," Puleio said. "The timing unfortunately is not good."
This budget contains no luxuries or special advantages, according to Rimmer.
"The budget is honest," Rimmer said. "It has many great programs. The community will not want us to decimate these programs."
Board Secretary Marshall Sigall said that the growth in the schools has a great deal to do with some of the changes.
"We are not adding anything," Sigall said. "There has been a population increase. There was a 21 percent increase in the population. There are almost 20 new students from port of entry alone. We added four new positions in the high school with a 5-percent salary increase. There are still a number of children waiting to come into the schools."
School officials estimate some 400 new students will enter school in September.
The finance committee is scheduled to work on the budget during the week to try to lower the increase, according to board member Fred Manning.
"There is not a great deal of money that we can cut from the budget," Manning said. "There is some money in the surplus, and we might want to look into relieving the taxpayer by using that amount."
This was the preliminary budget, but the board must have a finalized one for a public hearing on March 26. The board is scheduled to have a meeting at the Maple Mead School on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Voters will then have the opportunity to decide whether they approve of the tax increase when the fate of the budget is decided during the school elections on April 16.