One tax cut, two hikes in Bordentown Regional school budget

By Amber Cox
   BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Residents in Bordentown Township and City will see average tax hikes of $99 and $41, respectively, under the tentative Bordentown Regional School District budget, while Fieldsboro residents would see a decrease of $50.
   The school board approved the tentative tally March 2 by a 5-3 vote. The board plans to hold a special Saturday meeting to go over the budget line item by line item and invited the public to attend. As of March 7 a date has not been set.
   The public budget hearing will be held on March 23.
   The new tax rates would be: $1.367 per $100 of assessment in Bordentown Township, $1.363 in Bordentown City and $1.41 in Fieldsboro, according to Superintendent Constance Bauer.
   The Bordentown Regional Board of Education has restored full-time kindergarten to its proposed budget due to increased state aid.
   The district is getting a 5 percent increase in state aid and will receive a total of $6,983,922, an increase of $338,631.
   The board had a prepared budget with reductions totaling $1.7 million, calculating flat state aid before the state numbers were released.
   It had prepared three special ballot questions involving the maintaining of 10 certificated staff, maintaining the current full-day kindergarten program and maintaining the current middle school level interscholastic athletic program.
   The board on March 2 decided to eliminate the three ballot questions.
   The reduction area of personnel was calling for $1,080,000 to be cut out of the budget, but because of the increase in state aid that number has been reduced to $1,042,785 after the board decided to allocate an extra $37,215 to the category.
   The board had originally proposed a reduction in the full-day kindergarten program making it a half-day program. This has been fully restored because of the increase of state aid.
   The board has also reallocated the $80,000 needed for the Bordentown Regional Middle School interscholastic sports.
   However, other reductions remain including district reductions of $374,623.
   The board also passed a resolution allowing for the allocation of Sustainable Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs). Part of the revenue listed in the budget, $126,000, represents the allocation of the SRECs.
   Some of the 50 residents at the meeting were upset that no further information on the budget was available and urged the administrators to take a small increase on their salaries or no increase.
   ”As parents we expect administrators to lead the way and take lower pay increases,” resident Lisa Hartman said. “Please show us that our children are the most important thing to you. When we see you cutting programs and eliminating teaching positions while you’re enjoying a 3 to 5 percent raise, this is truly a poor example. We need forward thinking leaders to help us through these uncharted times.
   Longtime Fieldsboro Mayor Ed “Buddy” Tyler was also present at the meeting and said there should have been a freeze on all salaries two years ago.
   ”Last year you had to assume it was only going to get worse,” he said.