School budget deserves support

To the editor

By:
   On March 23, the Hillsborough Board of Education unanimously agreed to adopt its final budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year.
   The total budget of $93.8 million, if approved by the public on April 19, will include a total budget increase of 2.9 percent from 2004. This is the lowest increase of any school district budget in Hillsborough Township for at least 10 years.
   The tax rate increase of 4.27 percent is one of the lowest increases since 1995. The total budget rate increase is 75 cents per $1,000 assessed value.
   Fortunately, the actual school tax impact to each homeowner can be easily determined, as homes in Hillsborough were not reassessed this year. The tax impact of the average home assessed at $350,000 will be a $262.50 increase.
   This is significantly lower than last year’s $350 tax impact for the average home assessed at $350,000.
   The budget cap law, S1701, prevents school districts from increasing their budgets by more than the increase in the cost of living. Obviously, increases in salaries, health insurance and utilities have been higher than the 3.01 percent consumer price index that Trenton is using as the standard to determine the cost of living increase.
   Hillsborough received no increase in state aid for the 2005-2006 budget year. The percentage of state aid the district will receive as compared to the total budget has been shrinking. Last year, state aid represented approximately 23.9 percent of the total budget while a few years ago it was 27 percent.
   The choice is to pass the added costs on to the local taxpayer or scale back our program. While some would prefer to increase class size to accomplish this, the board has passed a budget where class sizes will remain reasonable next year.
   Most of the increased student population anticipated for the 2005-06 school year is not projected, but real, already in the schools and moving up through the grades. The increase in student population will be at the high school level, with the incoming freshman class projected to be about 100 students more than the current senior class. The high school student enrollment next year is officially projected to be 2420.
   Despite the increased high school population, no increase in state aid and a reasonable 4.27 percent increase on property taxes, the board adopted a budget that has still been able to continue most of the current educational programs.
   The board is moving forward to implement our technology plan to upgrade the district’s aging inventory of computers (351 replacement PC’s) so that teachers and students can utilize the district network when appropriate.
   The board only approved one additional regular education teacher and two additional part-time physical education teachers at the high school to accommodate the 100 more students. The board also approved a remedial math teacher to help our students in order to help them pass the math portion of the HSPA, as required by NCLB.
   A change in our philosophy on the delivery of instruction in elementary resource classes required the board to hire seven new special education teachers. However, 16 less instructional assistants will be needed next year permitting the district to save money.
   This positive change will not impact the quality of the experience for our elementary resource students. The district will also receive additional personnel to accommodate a growing number of students with special needs.
   There are a few immediate facilities needs to be completed in the summer of 2005 that the board had to address in the 2005-06 operating budget. One of the urgent projects include the Woodfern School which will be getting a new roof since the existing roof leaks and has outlived its useful life.
   There are four kindergarten bathrooms at HES that need to be renovated. The underside of the portico at the main entrance to HHS is in disrepair and needs to be replaced.
   Assuming that the budget passes and the district moves forward with these projects, there is a commitment by the state to contribute 40 percent of the cost of these and other projects, with the state’s share estimated to be in the amount of $241,866.
   Our growth in the number of employees resulted in the board adding a director of human resources to the budget. With almost 1,000 employees, it is long overdue. All of our neighboring districts of similar size have a director of human resources, therefore, it is time that the board include this position in our budget.
   The board approved a second question with a total amount of $261,416. The tax impact if this is approved is about $12 per year, or $1 per month.
   Voters are being asked to authorize the district to purchase 150 new computers at $700 each for a total of $105,000, so that older computers that are not working well or incapable of running Windows 2000 on the district network can be replaced.
   The question also asks voters to allow the district to pay stipends for more seasonal coaching positions, shuttles to games, supplies and materials to address the increasing number of students who would like to participate in sports such as high school bowling and fencing.
   Assistant coaches for high school field hockey and winter track are also included here, along with middle school boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track, boys and girls volleyball and cheerleading to accommodate the extra curricular interests of students. An additional part-time athletic trainer is included. These new sports and coaches being proposed pursuant to the athletic strategic plan total $127,127.
   As a result of increased demand by students for more clubs other than interscholastic sports, the second question also includes three additional stipends per school for intramural programs at the high school, middle school and Auten Road School. These new intramural programs total $29,289.
   The taxpayers of Hillsborough should be very pleased that our schools are managed in a cost efficient manner. Hillsborough continues to spend the lowest amount per pupil than similarly sized districts.
   Our low administrative costs per pupil and administrator to student ratio are signs of our efficient and frugal spending.
   The board worked very hard to bring the public a very reasonable budget in a tough budget year.
   I hope that you will vote yes to approve the base budget of $93.8 million as well as to approve the second question in the amount of $261,416.
   The polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 19. The County Board of Elections will be mailing you sample ballots very shortly.
   Please review your sample ballot in order to be aware of your polling place.
   Don’t forget to vote. Every vote counts.

Steve Sloan, Esq.
Finance Committee chairman,
Board of Education