There will be no increase in East Brunswick school taxes in the coming fiscal year.
In fact, taxpayers will actually pay less, as debt service related to past construction projects will decrease. The debt service portion of the school tax rate will drop by 4.16 cents, for a reduction of $42 on a home assessed at $100,000.
The Board of Education last week adopted a tentative school budget for 2009- 10, one that totals $106.1 million and includes staff reductions and a freeze on all central office administrative and staff salaries.
Superintendent of Schools Jo Ann Magistro made it known she would be freezing her own salary by not accepting the contractual increase for the coming budget year, and the board’s Negotiations Committee then came to an agreement with the East Brunswick Principals and Supervisors Association on freezing the salaries of all employees in that union, according to district officials.
“We are very fortunate to have administratorswho care about our community and the quality of education in our schools,” board member Vicki Becker said. Magistro said she was proud that the central office employees were “making this personal sacrifice on behalf of the students and the community.”
School officials could not put a number on the amount of savings achieved through salary freezes since many of those employees are members of the association, whose contract was being negotiated.
East Brunswick High School Principal Robert Murphy, who is president of the principals and supervisors association, said the administrators agreed to the freeze because they are proud of the quality of education offered in East Brunswick and wanted to help to preserve it.
“Our administrators want to do whatever we can to help retain the quality education that our students deserve,” Murphy said.
The board made budget cuts in all departments, deferring capital projects and reducing expenses in contracted transportation services, according to materials provided by the school district.
Staff reductions in the proposed budget include six full-time teaching positions, eliminated due to changes in enrollment levels and programs.
Also, to meet state Department of Education (DOE) efficiency standards in custodial services and support services, the board cut one guidance counselor position, two attendance office staff members and three custodians.
Where possible, the positions are being eliminated through attrition as opposed to layoffs, according to Patricia LaDuca, director of community relations and programs.
The board is streamlining child nutrition services and using a satellite elementary lunch in order to reduce costs associated with that program, as is required under the DOE efficiency model. LaDuca said the deficit associated with the highly regulated program is being addressed over a number of years by reducing staff positions and hours, in some cases resulting in savings on health benefits. For students, this may mean combined lines for different food items, LaDuca noted as an example. Also, a satellite lunch program will be implemented in the elementary schools, meaning that the food will be made in two school kitchens and transported to the other schools, as opposed to the food being made in each of the eight elementary schools.
LaDuca said district administrators and board members recognized the need to do whatever possible to help the community at a time when many taxpayers are feeling the impact of the poor economy.
School budgets and the school tax component of the property tax bill are often a contentious issue in East Brunswick, and several times in recent years the budgets have been defeated at the polls and then cut by the Township Council. This is the first time in current administrators’ memory that the board has come in with a zero tax increase.
“We have been very concerned about the financial climate of our community and wanted to ensure that we were not adding to their burden,” board member Meredith Shaw said. Boardmember Scott Luxenberg,who also chairs the board Finance Committee, said officials spent months “scrutinizing every line item, making deep cuts in every department, making changes to increase efficiency, and to control costs in all areas.
“I compliment the administration and my fellow committee members Vicki Becker and Meredith Shaw for their work on preparing this budget,” Luxenberg said.
State aid to the school district will remain at the current school year’s level, and Board President Todd Simmens said that made it all the more important to control and in some cases cut spending. He said many departments came in with budgets equal to or less than the past year’s levels. He noted that the district often restructures its debt, actively pursues shared service agreements, and takes advantage of the township’s superior bonding ability.
Capital projects were all deferred, according to LaDuca, noting that the board pushed off initiatives including preventative maintenance for all rooftop units, HVAC repairs, a maintenance van purchase, upgrading security plans at the elementary schools, and boiler and piping replacements.
“Nothing is going to be done,” LaDuca said of the capital projects. She noted that people may see some projects being completed, but the funding for those is from prior budgets.
While the general operating budget for 2009-10 is proposed at $106.1 million — exactly the same as the current school year — debt service will be reduced from $8.65 million this year to $7.8 million next year, allowing for the 4.16 cent decrease in the overall school tax rate.
Simmens said that reduction, along with the freeze on administrative salaries, is “incredibly good news for the community during these hard times.”
Board member Michael Hughes said he too is very pleased with the budget.
“In general, I think the community will be very happy in that it decrease taxes by 4 cents,” Hughes said. “We should not have to have people moving out of East Brunswick [because they cannot afford the taxes].”
Hughes, who is completing his second year on the board, said there was a change in approach with this budget.
“This year the discussion shifted from ‘Can we cut anything’ to ‘What can we cut,’ ” he said. “I’m glad it shifted.”
The board will continue discussion of the budget at its meeting tonight, and will hold a public hearing and final adoption at 8 p.m. April 2 at Churchill Junior High School, Norton Road. The school election and budget vote are set for April 21, with polls open from 2 to 9 p.m.
Detailed budget information is being made available at the East Brunswick Public Library, Senior Center, each of the district’s schools, business administrator’s office and on the website, www.ebnet.org.
While the school component of homeowners’ property tax bills will decrease, the Township Council is working on a 2009 budget that calls for an increase the municipal tax portion, due to revenue losses.