PRINCETON: Municipalities receive school budget

By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
   Superintendent Judy Wilson pitched a 2009-2010 Princeton Regional Schools budget that will mean a $269 tax increase for average Princeton Borough homeowners and a more modest $29 increase for their counterparts in Princeton Township to local municipal officials Monday.
   Speaking to a joint session of the Princeton Township Committee and the Princeton Borough Council at the Princeton Township Municipal Complex, Ms. Wilson said the larger borough tax increase was not a function of budget decision-making. Instead, the disparity stems from property value fluctuations that mean borough property owners will shoulder an extra half percent of the $57,922,997 in local taxes this year, a 1.68 percent increase over last year’s levy.
   The average borough tax bill would have gone up by $200 even if the school district had adopted a flat budget, according to Ms. Wilson, who said the $72.7 million operating budget represents less than a 1 percent increase over last year’s version.
   ”This is the third year in a row,” said Ms. Wilson, regarding the borough’s tax trend.
   Speaking about this year’s budget process, Ms. Wilson said continued economic turmoil weighed heavily on the district, as did rampant uncertainty about state aid and other budgetary matters.
   ”What looked feasible in December was off the table in January” and so on, Ms. Wilson said.
   Ms. Wilson said the district did successfully slash existing costs by $1.3 million, partially through the elimination of 12 full-time staff positions. Those cuts were made in the face of a $350,000 loss in interest revenue and flat state aid funding, she said.
   The budget spares the district from any programmatic cuts, Ms. Wilson said, although continued recession could mean the elimination of programs next year.
   ”We’ve hit the floor, with cutting the program,” Ms. Wilson said.
   Ms. Wilson told officials the district expects hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal stimulus dollars, which would be dedicated toward energy-efficient construction and special education, among other areas.
   During her presentation the superintendent made a special emphasis on getting out the vote for the April 21 school budget and board of education elections.
   She handed out absentee ballots to officials and audience members, and reminded the audience to inquire with the district about polling places.
   Those actions received the support of Bernie Miller, the township mayor.
   ”The school budget is important,” said Mayor Miller. “Get out and vote.”
   Following her presentation, local officials and residents thanked Ms. Wilson for the district’s efforts in putting together the budget.
   ”Let me say publicly, the effort put forth has been tremendous,” said Jim Floyd, a Princeton resident.