By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
Superintendent’s budget plans cover all bases but that one
After preparing three possible scenarios for the school budget in a tentative budget presented Monday at the Board of Education meeting, Superintendent of Schools Edward Forsthoffer was surprised to find he didn’t anticipate one scenario.
That was the possibility of additional state aid, which Hillsborough will be getting. Figures released Wednesday by Gov. John Corzine show a 5 percent increase in its state funds for the 2009-2010 school year an additional $1,249,413 to $26,237,679 total for 2009 to 2010.
”Certainly, we’re very pleased with the state aid numbers,” Dr. Forsthoffer said. “Hillsborough has done a very good job of having a quality education for their children and being good to their taxpayers. It honestly was unexpected.”
Monday’s presentation projected three possibilities, each assuming no additional state aid. The scenarios included meeting the state-imposed 4 percent spending increase limit, which would add 1.6 cents to the district school tax rate, cutting projected spending to achieve a 1-cent rate increase, or cutting more to avoid any increases.
Each of the scenarios included staff and nonstaff cuts. The board will approve which scenario to budget for as its tentative 2009-2010 budget during its meeting Monday, though the final numbers will be adjusted to reflect the additional state aid.
Dr. Forsthoffer said he was unable to comment on how the funding would affect his projections, since he had yet to meet with board members regarding the increase.
Last year, voters approved a $106,282,590 school budget for the 2008-2009 school year, setting the tax rate at $1.96 per $100 assessed value.
The portion of local property tax bills for schools totals $7,350 for the owner of a property assessed at $375,000, the average assessment figure used by Dr. Forsthoffer in Monday’s presentation.
To achieve the state-set 4 percent limit on spending growth, the budget would be $108,316,097 which would involve a 1.6-cent tax rate increase per $100 of assessed value, making the school portion of the property tax bill go up $60 next year for the owner of a property assessed at $375,000.
To make the cap, the district needed to cut $2,283,753 from its originally planned budget, Dr. Forshoffer said.
Cuts already figured into the budget focus on improvements or additions to district technology, including workstation computers at the high school, projectors for Auten Road Intermediate School, and other improvements. Dr. Forsthoffer noted the cuts were planned in September, as the district prepared for a bleak economic outlook.
Areas cut to reach the cap include staff training and conferences, central office supplies, testing, middle school intramural supplies, extraordinary aid supplies, and other areas.
The district would also need to cut three kindergarten through sixth-grade positions, four ASI positions, a high school applied technology supervisor, a kindergarten through sixth-grade REACH teacher, 14 district special education aides, and an assistant winter cheerleading coach.
Two positions, for a middle school Special Education teacher and for an Auten Road Intermediate School music teacher, would not be filled again after the teachers currently holding them retire in June, Dr. Forsthoffer said.
Despite the staff cuts, the nixed positions would not affect class size, Dr. Forsthoffer said.
Dr. Forsthoffer noted a 1-cent tax rate increase, which would increase the school portion of the property tax by $37.50 in 2009-2010, would require $2,736,753 in budget cuts, making the budget $105,579,344.
And to achieve the 1-cent increase, the district would need to cut six more Special Education aides, a secretary/clerk position at Auten Road Intermediate School, an elementary school music teacher, an elementary school art teacher, and a kindergarten through sixth-grade science specialists.
The staffing cuts needed for the 1-cent increase would be in addition to the staffing and nonstaffing cuts needed to bring the budget to the 4 percent cap.
To have no tax increase, the district would need to cut $3,939,753 from its budget, making a $104,376,344 budget.
The reduction would involve cutting five more Special Education aides, for a total of 25 aide positions, two more ASI positions, an assistant football coach, an assistant fall cheerleading coach, additional athletics staff for nonconference games, two middle school REACH teachers, a high school media assistant, a middle school media assistant, a curriculum secretary, and a Child Study Team secretary. A retiring high school guidance counselor’s position would not be filled.
The cuts would force the district to change the REACH program from a kindergarten through eighth-grade program to a kindergarten through sixth-grade program; the middle school program would mirror the high school’s program as a result, Dr. Forsthoffer said.
The district hopes to offset several capital projects costs through state grant money, and federal stimulus money, allowing it to use the $500,000 budgeted in other areas. However, the district is not certain about the stipulations for the federal and state funds, or the amount of money it would receive, Dr. Forsthoffer said.
Residents and teachers at the meeting expressed several concerns about the cuts, focusing on class sizes, staffing overlaps, any effects the cuts would have on the quality of the education, and areas the district could save money.
While acknowledging economic troubles, the board members agreed the cuts would affect students’ education negatively, and asked about other areas where it could save money.
Several board members, including Steven Paget, John Donnadio and Wolfgang Schneider, wanted more input from the public on the budget scenarios, noting the nonexistent input prior to the March 9 meeting.
The first concern for all members was the effect on the students, however.
”Every year we don’t go to cap, it puts more strain on the budget the next year,” Marc Rosenberg, who worried about how the cuts in each scenario would affect students, said. “If we are treading water this year, we will be treading water next year.”
”I can’t support a budget that cuts any teachers, any athletic coaches, or any programs,” Frank Blandino said. “It’s a theft to the students. I urge our committee to re-evaluate our administrative costs.”
Suggestions geared toward saving money and cutting from areas other than the teaching staff include setting limits on fees for professional services, such as the board’s attorney or accountant, comparing the legal requirements for the number of district social workers, psychologists, and speech therapists against the amount of each position the district employs, evaluating supervisor positions in the district, and comparing the district’s Special Education spending to similar districts.
If accepted by the board at next week’s meeting, the tentative budget would go to the county superintendent for evaluation. The budget could still undergo changes before the board’s final budget hearing March 30. The final budget is what will appear on the April 21 ballot.

