SOUTH BRUNSWICK – BOE committee cuts $2.8 million from school spending plan

By Mary Brienza, Staff Writer
   After cutting some $2.8 million in spending, the Board of Education Budget Committee approved the tentative 2011-12 budget that will be presented to the full board for a public hearing and adoption at the March 28 meeting.
   Committee members as well as six members of a newly formed Citizens Advisory Budget Committee worked for the last two months on coming up with ways of saving money in the proposed plan, which carries a tax rate increase of 12 cents per $100 of assessed value.
   That amounts to an increase of $228 in taxes for the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $190,000. Even though the district has maintained the same $103 million tax levy for the last three years, an increase in taxes is needed due to a drop in the value of the township’s ratable base, according to township Finance Officer Joe Monzo, who addressed the committee Monday night.
   According to Mr. Monzo, the overall value of the township dropped almost 4 percent last year due to an increase in successful tax appeals. It was also the first time ever the residential values went down by about 1 percent or $168 million.
   The decrease in the value of the community coupled with contractual and other increases have forced the board to raise the tax rate, Board of Education President Dr. Matthew Speesler said Monday.
   Part of the cuts announced Monday included eliminating between 35 to 70 positions, according to Dr. Speesler.
   One way to help combat the situation is by the board asking the unions to take a pay freeze for the year.
   Several unions agreed to either a full-year freeze or a half-year pay freeze, Committee Chairman and board member Martin Abschutz said.
   The South Brunswick Education Association teachers union, however, voted last week not to take a freeze for the year, union President Christopher Hines said.
   ”A pay freeze is actually a substantial pay cut for our members,” Mr. Hines said outside the meeting.
   Mr. Hines said union members feared not taking the contracted 3.6 percent increase — that is part of its three-year contract, which was approved last year — could mean even less money if state legislation requiring public union employees to pay up to 30 percent for their pension and benefits goes through and is signed by Gov. Christopher Christie.
   One of the proposals going through the Legislature, S-2718, sponsored by state Sen. Stephen Sweeney, D-3, and Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-12, however would not impose any increase in the amount paid by teachers in the district until the current contract expires next year, according to Sen. Sweeney spokesman Derek Roseman.
   Mr. Roseman said Tuesday that the bill, if passed, would go into effect immediately except for bargaining units involved in a current contract.
   In a written statement to the board and the public, Mr. Hines said the freeze would hurt the union members who are suffering like everyone else in the recession.
   The union also is concerned that its scheduled pay raise this year — the second in its three-year contract — may be the only one it sees in a while if state budget cap proposals go through the Legislature and eventually only allow 2-percent pay increases in subsequent contracts.
   ”It hurts the cumulative earnings of members,” Mr. Hines said.
   While the teachers voted overwhelmingly not to accept a pay freeze, Mr. Abschutz said the head custodians union, the central office administration and the administrators and supervisors all accepted a pay freeze until the end of the year.
   In addition to the teachers, unions representing the secretaries, custodian maintenance association, the bus drivers and the paraprofessional unions also voted against a pay freeze.
   Mr. Abschultz said if these unions had accepted the pay freeze, there is a chance jobs may have been saved.
   The committee also discussed and approved adding a $75 fee to AP courses, charging money to attend clubs and adding ads to buses as ways of generating money.
   There would be a $300 maximum for fees for classes and extracurricular activities per family, and those qualifying for the free or reduced lunch program would not have to pay the fee, Mr. Abshultz said.
   Board of Education member Deborah Taylor said the board is looking for ways to reduce the budget and expenses. She said the board is working to maintain the quality of education and there are students behind the numbers.
   SBHS senior Brian Luck, 17, from Monmouth Junction, went up and spoke to the board during the public portion of the meeting. He said he is a member of HITOPS club, Student Council and the track team, and the $25 club fee is not a bad idea.
   Several high school students spoke to the committee on the importance of the clubs offered by the high school.
   Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gary McCartney said there will no cuts to clubs this year.