‘Bare-bones’ school budget touted by officials

Spending plan set for vote after Tuesday’s public hearing.

By: Donna Lukiw
   With only two weeks left until residents vote on the school budget, Manville board members approved the $16 million final budget, a 4.58 percent increase over last year’s tally during a special budget meeting Tuesday night.
   If passed on April 17, the budget would increase the school portion of local property tax bills from an average of $3,222 for a property assessed at $150,000, the borough average, to $3,408. The tax rate would change from $2.148 per $100 of assessed property value to $2.272.
   The local tax levy would be $12,073,755, a 5.76 percent increase over last year.
   "We’re at the bare bones here," Jim Brunn, principal of ABIS, said during the meeting. "It took us 10 years to get here and I would hate to regress."
   Superintendent Donald Burkhardt said if the budget passes it will keep all existing programs in place "while other districts are cutting programs."
   "Help us continue the education we have been known for," Dr. Burkhardt said.
   Dr. Burkhardt said last year the district’s budget was able to provide a new track at the high school, new computers, lighting at Weston Elementary School, the installation of fiber optics at Weston, security at all four schools and the implementation of the Promethean interactive whiteboards for the classrooms.
   And although the district won’t be adding any new programs this year, Dr. Burkhardt said, there won’t be any programs cut either.
   "We try to keep it (the budget) in reason with taxpayers’ concerns," Business Administrator Richard Reilly said. "The whole budget affects kids, directly or indirectly."
   Dr. Burkhardt said the Manville school district has one of the lowest costs per pupil compared to other similar districts.
   He noted Manville spends $10,772 per pupil while Bound Brook spends $11,115 per student, North Plainfield spends $11,941 and Somerville spends $13,039.
   "We truly need to have this budget passed to keep the programs," board member Gary Cortelyou said.
   The final budget separates $5,417,328 for regular instructional programs, $922,137 for special education programs and $2,963,942 for personnel services and benefits.
   Residents will be voting on the budget from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 17 at either Weston Elementary School, Alexander Batcho Intermediate School or Emmanuel Baptist Church.