By: centraljersey.com
After reading Joanne Degnan’s poignant article (March 10 Messenger-Press) about the potential layoffs of 15 bus drivers and three bus aides in the Upper Freehold Regional School District, I felt compelled to write this letter.
The article stated that privatization of most transportation routes would save $275,000. This would mean firing almost all of our local bus drivers, many of whom are members of our community – raised here, attended our local schools, and have built a trusting relationship with the children and parents over the years. Now to suddenly discard these valued members of our community, who just last year agreed to contribute 9.8 percent of their salaries toward their health benefits to provide cost savings to the transportation budget, and forgo scheduled raises, just seems wrong. Outsourcing our busing to strangers is not a long-term solution for cost savings.
I would like to point out that in the article the Board of Education was asked how much money the district could save if the teachers would agree to reopen their contracts and start contributing just 1.5 percent of their salaries toward the cost of their health benefits. The response was $296,000 a year. It also was cited in the article that employee health-benefit costs were expected to increase 15 to 20 percent. Our committed busing staff did their part – now it’s time for the rest of the team to step up and do their part.
Mary Jo Lowry Allentown
A different take on budget numbers
To the editor:
This is for those of us who missed School Administration 101:
You like potato and I like potahto, You like tomato and I like tomahto; Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto! No, we can’t call the whole thing off!
Board of Education says 0 percent increase, numbers say nearly 7 percent increase. They are both right!
Last spring, Millstone voters defeated a proposed increase in the budget of $1.36 million.
Millstone Township Committee made cuts of $1.26 million and certified a school tax levy of $28.72 million.
Last September, after a successful appeal to the commissioner of education, the township was ordered to reinstate $960,000 back into the general fund tax levy. Which brings us to the present: $960,000 (2010-11 general fund) plus $960,000 (2011-2012 general fund) plus $64,000 (debt service fund) gives us a net mandated increase in taxes of $1.98 million.
Yes, the Millstone BOE instructed the administration to create a ZERO percent increase 2011-2012 budget. The administration delivered.
The budget being presented to the voters on April 27 has a 0 percent increase, but it is a zero increase from the already "mandated increased" budget; embedded in the new $30.71 million tax levy to be billed to Millstone residents is the $1.98 million increase.
Doing the math, old tax levy: $28.72 million; new tax levy: $30.71 million. Net increase in school taxes: 1.98 million. Approximate percentage increase: 7 percent. Listening to the BOE and administrators tell us it is a 0 percent increase: PRICELESS!
Ramon Recalde Millstone

