Deciding the fate of a
double-digit tax hike
By josh davidson
Staff Writer
MATAWAN — While the Board of Education election is uncontested, voters from Matawan and Aberdeen will determine whether there will be a school tax hike of over 20 cents April 15.
Matawan and Aberdeen school officials are hoping to pass a $51.1 million budget with a proposed school tax increase exceeding 20 cents in both municipalities. Taxpayers will see a school tax hike of 24.5 cents in Matawan and 27.7 cents in Aberdeen if the budget is passed.
The proposed budget was approved by the Board of Education at its March 24 meeting.
The tax increase went up .3 cents in Matawan and .4 cents in Aberdeen since the tentative budget was first introduced Feb. 26.
Principle interest and debt service for the district’s $36.8 million referendum decreased from 7.5 cents to 7.2 cents in Aberdeen, and from 7.1 to 6.8 cents in Matawan, resulting from an increase in bond interest earnings, said school Business Administrator/board Secretary Laura Venter. Without the debt service, the school tax increases for the 2003-04 school year would have totaled 20.5 cents in Aberdeen and 17.7 cents in Matawan.
A facilities upgrade project added $128,211 to the tentative budget. That project will allow Johnson Controls, Union City, to handle lighting, ventilation and other projects not included in the referendum. The remainder of the tentative budget stayed the same.
The budget surplus falls 1.5 percent below the state’s 3 percent mandate, Venter said. The budget surplus as of June 30, 2002, will be $700,932. The state-mandated 3 percent of the total budget would be about $1.5 million. Prudent spending over the next few years will help replenish the budget surplus, she said.
Lack of state aid negatively affected the budget, said Gallo in a written statement. "I totally support this budget and I urge all of you to do the same."
Four new staff members were added at Matawan Regional High School, where enrollment is expected to increase, Quinn said.
"We in this school district are seeing considerable increases in enrollment," he said. "We need to be prepared."
This district plans to increase math instructional time at Matawan Avenue Middle School to help with academic performance, he said.
Three new world language teachers were hired to address the state-mandated core curriculum world language program, he said.
The district’s literacy program will expand from first grade into second grade, he said.
The budget reflects the elimination of one middle school guidance counselor, three assistant sports coaches and four and a half secretarial positions, he said.
The most important project is improving classroom ventilation systems, he said.
Poor ventilation is causing tough learning conditions at Ravine Drive Elementary School, said teachers Michele Gross and Jill Fallon.
"It’s either freezing cold or boiling hot," said Gross, who teaches fourth grade. "There’s no in-between."
"My room will be really hot and the room across the hall will be freezing," said Fallon, who teaches first grade.
Students have developed headaches and dust has been seen coming out of vents in the classrooms, Gross said.
Quinn is very concerned about how the state funds its schools, he said.
Last year’s budget was voted down by residents and sent back to the council for cuts.
"Traditionally what happens is, when a budget goes down, the one that suffers is the average kid," said Arthur Fumarola, a board member.
The budget cuts last year caused feuding between the two councils and school board.
Councilwoman Debra Buragina believes a strong voter turnout is needed to pass the budget. Residents need to realize that part of the proposed school tax increase is from the referendum, she said.
"I have three children in the schools, so obviously I support [the budget] because I have children who are benefiting from it," she said.
The state funding formula is unfair, she added.
"The problem, I think, is nobody at the state level wants to address these issues," she said. "You cannot support a school district on real estate taxes. If the state would look at it on a realistic level, I think there can be a solution."
"The whole system just doesn’t work as far as I see," she said.
"Taxpayers don’t vote on [the council’s] budget," Councilwoman Sharon Roselli said.
Elections will be held April 15 from 1-9 p.m.
Incumbent board candidates John Barbato, 47, 16 Donna Place, Aberdeen, and board President Gerald Donaghue, 47, 79 Overbrook Lane, Matawan, are seeking re-election. Patricia Demarest, 40, 35 Ingram Circle, Aberdeen, is looking for her first term on the board.
When the board reorganizes, it will decide on its next president.
Due to family commitments, longtime board member Janice Gallo will not seek re-election.
Demarest called this an exciting time for the district because of its new superintendent, Bruce Quinn, and the beginning of a $36.8 million referendum project.
Another issue at hand for the board this year is how many children the redevelopment of 104 acres surrounding the Aberdeen-Matawan train station will bring into the district.
While Donaghue supports what the project can add to the community, the board should have been more involved in the process when it began, he said.
Education early in life will decide how successful children will be later, Barbato said.