Tax rate lowered

Council cuts spending, reinstates busing money.

By: Melissa Hayes
   The Township Council shaved nearly a half-cent off the school tax rate Tuesday, after it decided to cut $400,000 from the recently defeated school budget and to require the district to include the cost of nonmandatory busing in the plan.
   Voters defeated a $119.2 million school plan and a $657,597 second question to cover nonmandatory transportation costs April 19. The rejected budget, which included a tax rate increase of 16.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, was defeated by five votes, 1,477 to 1,472. The second question, which represented a .8-cent tax rate increase, was defeated 1,506-1,330. There also was 1.4 cents to cover debt service, which has already been approved by voters.


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Bad math on budget

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   The second question had to be approved separately so that the main budget would stay within the state-mandated budget cap limiting school spending increases.
   If both questions had been approved, taxpayers would have faced a 19-cent tax rate increase, with the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $188,600 paying $4,375.52, up $358.34 from the current school year.
   However, the council cuts account for .35-cent tax rate reduction, to 18.65 cents, bringing the rate to $2.3165 per $100 of assessed valuation. Under that rate, the owner of a home assessed at the township average will pay $4,368.92, a savings of $6.60 from the budget voters defeated.
   The cuts bring the school tax levy to $89.85 million, including $8.3 million in debt service, down from $90.25.
   The council cuts include $100,000 from the second question — $25,000 each from early and late runs and $50,000 from courtesy busing — and $300,000 from the general fund.
   Superintendent Gary McCartney said cuts in the general fund would come from the salaries of elementary level school staff, but not from teachers.
   "Our mandate was not to cut any classroom teachers or programs and we didn’t," Councilman Joe Camarota said.
   Mayor Frank Gambatese said most of the money from the second question was reinstated because of safety concerns.
   "It’s a serious issue and it’s important we were mindful of the fact that it was voted down," he said. "We thought it was a fair compromise. A lot of it’s a safety and welfare issue. You’re talking about busy roads."
   The second question covers courtesy busing for students living over a mile but within the 2-mile state requirement for busing. Early buses for students attending music programs and late buses for students in athletics and after school programs were also included.
   Council members said the review process for defeated budgets is flawed, and municipalities don’t have enough time to review the plans before making suggested cuts. The council had to act quickly enough so that the school board could submit its recommendations to the county by May 19.
   "It’s thrown on us and none of us really welcome it," Mayor Gambatese said. "We have to look at something that we have no experience with."
   Dr. McCartney said the process of reviewing the budget put the council in a tough position where the need to lower taxes had to be balanced with students’ welfare and education.
   "I think the outcome is very good," he said.