By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — With the Township Committee unable to come to an agreement on a revised tax levy, the failed 2010-11 school budget has landed in the hands of the Somerset executive county superintendent of schools.
Tuesday night’s vote was split 2-2 on adopting the recommendations of a budget review subcommittee to trim nearly $2 million from the tax levy, reducing the average homeowner’s school tax bill by $289.
The vote was split down party lines with the Republicans, Mayor Mark Caliguire and Committeeman Thom Carter, voting in favor of the proposal and the Democrats, Committeewoman Louise Wilson and Committeeman Brad Fay, casting their votes against it.
Mayor Caliguire said he was assured by school board members that the cuts would not impact the classroom while achieving his goal of significantly lowering taxes, mindful of those in the township who had suffered in the economic downturn.
”I do believe this number would not compromise one iota of excellence,” he said before casting his vote.
Committeewoman Kacey Dyer recused herself from the vote on the advice of two attorneys representing the township that her mother’s employment as a first-grade teacher at the district constituted a conflict of interest.
Tom Cafferty, standing in for Township Attorney Kris Hadinger, who also recused herself for a conflict of interest, said the deadlock did not meet legal requirements for Ms. Dyer to vote despite her conflict, as the committee had sufficient numbers to reach a majority.
Ms. Dyer sent an e-mail Wednesday morning saying she felt “extremely frustrated” that she could not vote.
”If it weren’t for the advice of counsel, I would have participated fully, listened to the will of the voters, and voted to cut the budget,” she said.
Explaining her vote, Ms. Wilson said that while substantial cuts were warranted, the subcommittee’s recommendations went too far in impacting the quality of education.
”I believe these cuts, while I support quite a few of them, I believe overall are too deep… the resolution as it is written does not strike the right balance,” she said.
Mr. Fay, who served on the subcommittee, agreed that the recommendations in the end did not achieve the “right balance,” and suggested the committee pull back and hope for more relief from Trenton next year in the form of state aid.
”I don’t think we should go as far as this right now,” he said, acknowledging that a higher tax levy could put the committee in the same position next year of handling a failed budget.
A second resolution that would have halved the cuts to about $1 million, proposed by Ms. Wilson, was also tied 2-2. Her motion was supported by Mr. Fay, but Mayor Caliguire and Mr. Carter voted against it.
Rocky Hill Borough Council on Monday adopted a resolution unanimously approving the subcommittee’s recommendations. The Township Committee would have had to approve the same tax levy to avoid the issue going to the county.
Connie Richardson, business manager in the office of the county superintendent, said Wednesday afternoon that the office was waiting to receive budget information from the district before the process could move forward.
Officials from Montgomery, Rocky Hill and the school district were set to meet with county superintendent Trudy Doyle on Thursday afternoon, Mayor Caliguire said.
The goal of the meeting, Ms. Richardson said, is for an agreement to be reached “without our office having to do anything.” But as to what would happen if the deadlock persists, she declined to comment.
”In order for this office to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, we have to remain neutral,” she said.
A final tax levy will be determined by June 1, she said.
The subcommittee, consisting of Montgomery and Rocky Hill officials along with four township residents, worked with school district officials over the past three weeks to craft its report, which would have set a total tax levy of $63.5 million.
The report included a set of recommendations on what could be cut from the district while not impacting its ability to provide a “thorough and efficient education.” The school board would not be required to follow these recommendations, only the tax levy.
The Township Committee heard nearly three hours of public comment before voting, with those who spoke divided between supporting the cuts and believing they were too severe. About 70 people attended the meeting.
The aspects of the recommendations that drew the most attention were the recommendations to change the district busing system and increase the student activity fee.
Students now pay $75 per year to participate in cocurricular activities. The subcommittee recommended that the district increase the revenue raised by the fee to $304,000, triple the current amount, with the suggestion that the system is changed so that fees are based on the cost of running each program.
The subcommittee also recommended a change in district busing system that would eliminate contracted routes, saving $700,000, while pushing back dismissal times so that elementary students arrive home after dusk in the winter.
The subcommittee also recommended the elimination of the supervisor of guidance position, a savings of $100,000, which was proposed by the school board earlier this year. However, the position was reinstated in response to pleas from parents during a school board public hearing on the budget.
Ms. Wilson’s resolution was to eliminate these three items from the resolution.
Other recommendations include cuts to curriculum development, grounds upkeep, tuition reimbursement for teachers, and a salary freeze for nonunion employees. Administrator salaries were cut by $130,000, while custodial services was cut by $100,000, with the suggestion that the possibility of outsourcing is examined.
Committee members on both sides expressed disappointment with the outcome. The vote was a “victory for the status quo,” according to Committeeman Thom Carter.
”People in this township are struggling,” he said. “They asked us to cut taxes. Some of us listened, the others ignored. It breaks my heart.”
The school board had proposed a $65.4 million tax levy, which would have resulted in a $547 tax increase for the average township homeowner, whose home is valued at $507,000. The subcommittee’s recommendation would have reduced the increase to $258.
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