by BOE — without pleasure
By jennifer dome
Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE — This time it was the Board of Education that choked down a pill that was hard to swallow.
Mayor Kennedy O’Brien has said the board’s proposed 24-cent tax increase was too much for residents to handle. Therefore, Borough Council members approved a $2 million cut for the 2003-04 school budget last week when the defeated budget was sent to them for review.
Tuesday, the board members reluctantly voted 8-1 to accept the $2 million cut, which brings the tax increase down 9 cents.
As a result of the budget reduction, the tax rate will increase from $1.79 to $1.94 for each $100 of assessed valuation, meaning a resident with a home assessed at the borough average of $138,000 will pay $207 more in school taxes this coming school year.
"We’re accepting this budget, we’re not necessarily agreeing with it," board member Ronald VanTine said Tuesday.
After the board met for almost two hours in closed session during the public meeting this week, the school administrators explained their view of the budget reduction.
According to Superintendent of Schools Dennis Fyffe, during the initial meeting the board had with the Borough Council, it was agreed that the budget would be reduced by approximately $1.57 million.
"We understood going in that cuts to the budget would have to be made," Fyffe said.
From there, the council said they would look into making additional cuts. Hence, a meeting was held between the borough and school officials and the county superintendent, Fyffe said.
It was at this meeting that the $2 million reduction was discussed, he said.
School Business Administrator Emidio D’Andrea said that although the $2 million reduction includes using $700,000 in surplus funds, the district still has the 3 percent surplus that is required by state regulations.
Other reductions from the budget include $750,000 from the special education contingency and regular budget, as well as two positions for a maintenance supervisor and part-time computer technician. Another large cut was made in the health benefits category because D’Andrea was able to negotiate a better insurance rate, Fyffe said.
Board member Kevin Ciak said that with the economic climate in the state this year, it would be unwise to contest the budget reduction imposed upon the district. Since the county superintendent agreed that the district could handle the $2 million cut, this is further reason not to appeal the reduction, Ciak said.
"We’ve been through appeals before, and it just doesn’t work, particularly with the economic climate this year," Ciak said.
Two borough residents expressed their distaste for the budget process that has occurred in the borough this year. Barbara Tyszkiewicz, of Weber Avenue, said the board had lost its credibility in her eyes.
"Either you have a valid budget that you’re willing to stand by, or you should be out of the job of doing it," Tyszkiewicz said.
Donna Anonsen, of Haven Terrace, echoed these statements, stating that she has supported the budget every year and was upset with the outcome of the council’s review.
"If you’re telling me there’s $2 million to cut from this budget, then you’re all doing a terrible job," Anonsen said.
Fyffe said that he understands the anger and frustration because the district officials and board members felt the same way.
"There wasn’t a board member who wasn’t at least as angry as the two of you," Fyffe told the borough residents.
However, he denied the accusations that the budget was padded, stating that since the budget’s inception in January, several things have changed.
Since the beginning of the year, several special education students who were placed in expensive, out-of-district schools moved out of the Sayreville school district. This accounted for about $500,000 in savings that the board could not have anticipated, Fyffe said.
Additionally, the district received a better health rating and with the negotiations led by D’Andrea, the district came up with approximately $300,000 of savings in health benefits.
"It was not sleight of hand. It was an honest budget from the very beginning," Fyffe said.
Board member Arthur Rittenhouse was the only member to vote against accepting the budget, stating that the $2 million cut was "excessive."
"Next year we’re going to be in the same position we are this year," Rittenhouse said.
Not only will the district face the opening of the Samsel Upper Elementary School, but they will also have to implement the capital improvement projects that were defeated by voters in the separate question on April 15, Rittenhouse said.
The budget question for capital improvement projects would have added an additional 4 cents to the school tax rate. The defeat means these projects cannot be pursued by school officials this year.
Had the question been approved, officials would have been able to spend $960,500 on capital improvement projects throughout the district. The work would have cost the average homeowner an additional $55 a year in school taxes.
Rittenhouse was the only board member to attend the special Borough Council meeting on May 14 where the council approved the $2 million budget reduction. During the meeting, Rittenhouse told the council that he was unaware the cut had jumped from $1.57 million to $2 million
O’Brien said that he had word from district officials that the board would accept the council’s final proposal. He said he’d be very angry if the board chose to appeal the council’s budget cut, as the two parties had met and negotiated the reduction.
"If your side has negotiated in bad faith, then you should be ashamed of yourselves," O’Brien said to Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse said that he simply could not accept the $2 million cut and would have to hear the explanation from district officials about why it was agreed to.
Rittenhouse told the council that more support must be generated for property tax reform, a sentiment that was echoed by board member Curtis Clark on Tuesday. He said that state legislators must search for ways to fund the schools that avoid slamming the taxpayers with increases each year.
Board President Al Cox agreed and also mentioned the need to get residents to the polls for school elections.
"If we can’t get the voters to come out and support the budget, then we’re going to be back here every year," Cox said.
About 14 percent of the borough’s registered voters participated in the school elections on April 15. Voters defeated the Board of Education’s proposed spending package with 1,721 voting against tax rate increase and 1,159 in favor.
The board members discussed the fact that while there was no money taken directly from students’ programs and activities this year, these cuts will affect the students now and in the future.
"Tough times are ahead this year, not just next year," board Vice President Joseph Bera said.
As he called for a vote to accept the $2 million cut, Cox asked the board members to move forward.
"We’re going to try to do the best we can to A, build our credibility, and B, put together the best program we can with the money we have," Cox said.