Northern Burlington schools plan to institute user fees for extra-curricular activities and facilities use.
By: Eve Collins
MANSFIELD The Northern Burlington County Regional Board of Education last week voted to accept the cuts to the defeated $27.9 million school budget made by members of the governing bodies of the four sending districts.
At a special meeting May 15, the board members voted 5-1 to accept the $428,750 cut township representatives made in a series of meetings over the past few weeks. Board member Anthony Dorsey voted no to the resolution, and several members were absent from the meeting.
Voters from all the sending districts except North Hanover rejected the budget by a vote of 924 to 1,274 in the April 15 election. The budget would have raised residents’ taxes 14.7 percent overall.
The school district serves students in grades 7-12 from Chesterfield, Mansfield, North Hanover and Springfield townships and from McGuire Air Force Base.
State statute requires that the defeated budget be sent to township officials for their recommendations. Board members decided to make the cuts rather than appeal them to the county education commissioner.
To reduce the spending plan, township officials suggested taking $170,000 from the administration costs, and increasing revenues by $50,000, which would come from fees charged to students for extracurricular activities.
Township officials also suggested the board use $208,750 from surplus to offset taxes.
School board members, by state law, can decide where the cuts should come out of the budget, and said last week that budget talks would continue through the summer to try to save programs.
Those areas include the driver’s education program and courtesy busing, which serves students who live within 2.5 miles of the school. Field trips and transportation from after-school activities also will be eliminated to bring the busing cost down.
Officials also said that intramural sports in the middle school will be eliminated.
To gain revenue, the board will charge students activity fees for athletics, band and other programs. Fees also will be charged for use of athletic fields and other school facilities, which have been available to community members from all sending districts at no cost. District officials have not yet set fees for the activities or use of the facilities.
The district also will use $110,000 from surplus to cover some spending, officials said.
With the cuts to the budget, the revised tax rates for each township are:
In Chesterfield, the proposed rate raise of 15 cents would be reduced to 11.5 cents. Residents would pay $1.12 for every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $207,000 would pay $2,318. Voters in Chesterfield defeated the budget by a vote of 178-232.
For property owners in Mansfield, the proposed tax rate of 14 cents would be reduced to 10.5 cents. At that rate, residents would pay 97 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $157,000 would pay $1,523. Voters in Mansfield defeated the budget by a vote of 397-689.
For property owners in North Hanover, the proposed tax rate of 10.5 cents would be reduced to 7 cents. At that rate, residents would pay 91 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $150,000 would pay $1,365. North Hanover residents approved the budget 160-119.
For property owners in Springfield, the proposed tax rate rise of 19 cents would be reduced to 15 cents. Residents would pay $1.22 for every $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of $150,000 would pay $1,830. Voter in Springfield defeated the budget 155-250.

