PRINCETON: Board for Princeton schools adopts budget

By Stephanie Vaccaro, Staff Writer
   The Board of Education for Princeton Regional Schools adopted its budget for next year, with the total tax levy set at $62,190,302.
   Although a second ballot question to extend beyond the tax levy cap is needed, said Superintendent Judy Wilson, one will not be presented to voters.
   To describe the tax impact, Ms. Wilson said that an average borough home worth $747,795 would be $97.69, while in the township an average home of $827,065 would be $102.92.
   The budget presentation revealed the district’s attempts to grapple with the overall decline in state aid while maintaining the quality of education.
   ”There is no return of many, many of those opportunities and programs,” said Ms. Wilson.
   The goals of the budget are to maintain focus on teaching and learning; support opportunities for our students’ intellectual, social and emotional growth; and use every dollar wisely in order to maximize the community’s investment in our schools and our children, explained Ms. Wilson.
   ”We are mandated to budget for two charter schools beginning in July,” said Ms. Wilson.
   Expenses for Princeton Charter School are up 5.4 percent to cover an increase in tuition. A total of $4,959,461 is budgeted for charter schools.
   ”We have no planned layoffs at this moment,” said Ms. Wilson.
   The proposed budget aims to keep school and department budgets will remain at 2010–2011 levels. Efforts to stabilize utility bills through controls and efficiencies will continue, as well as plans for solar energy.
   Decreases in out-of-district tuition have been maximized, which have generated a reduction in special education and transportation costs in 2011-2012.
   The operating budget is impacted by state mandates and contractual salaries. It is 1.98 percent higher than the current operating budget, said Ms. Wilson.
   The proposed general fund tax levy increase of 2.85 percent will support the 2011-2012 budget without further slashing programs, and will begin to address the over-crowding at the high school, said Ms. Wilson.
   ”Our capital projects list in this budget is very, very small,” said Ms. Wilson of the list that addresses only health and safety concerns.
   ”It’s a bare bones capital projects list.”
   ”In our expenses, almost every line item is down,” said board President Rebecca Cox.
   This year saw a $3.7 million loss in state aid, said Ms. Wilson. Aid for the 2011-2012 year was reinstated in the amount of $741,000, but $2.95 million was carried forward, and the 4 percent cap was moved to a 2 percent cap.
   ”Each year’s budget is built on the year before,” Ms. Wilson said.
   She highlighted what community members can do by urging them to contact state Legislature representatives to vote to support the Princeton Education Foundation and to volunteer.
   The tentative budget was reviewed at the county level for compliance by Executive County Superintendent Samuel Stewart of the New Jersey Department of Education. In three to four weeks sample ballots will be mailed to all residents in the Princetons.