BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP: Bordentown Regional Oks final $33.2 budget

By Amber Cox
   BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — The $33.2 million final 2011-12 Bordentown Regional School District budget, adopted 7-2 on March 23, calls for a tax hike for the Bordentowns and a decrease for Fieldsboro.• Bordentown City will have a tax rate of $1.36 per $100. Homeowners assessed at the average $222,994 will pay $3,032.71 in taxes, an increase of $41 .
   • Bordentown Township will have a tax rate of $1.37 per $100. Homeowners assessed at the average $281,311 will pay $3,853.96 in taxes, an increase of $99.
   • Fieldsboro is seeing a decreased tax rate of $1.40 per $100. Residents assessed at the $180,238 average will pay $2,523.33 in taxes. $50 less.
   The budget includes $1.7 million in reductions because of the 2 percent state-mandated cap.
   According to Superintendent Constance Bauer a number of things are being maintained in the budget including the restoration of the full-day kindergarten program and middle school interscholastic athletics. Before state aid numbers were released the district was looking to cut those programs to reduce cost. Also the leftover money from state aid is being used to “lessen staff reductions.”
   ”There was never a discussion of completely eliminating things,” she said. “We have the opportunity to change the framework of the cuts and went back to the things that would most widely affect the children.”
   Courtesy busing, current academic programs in all schools, extra-curricular activities in all schools, materials and supplies to support all programs, special area classes in the elementary and middle levels, full day kindergarten, interscholastic athletics at the middle and high school and intramural programs at the middle school are all being maintained.
   Dr. Bauer said that each year the state Department of Education releases an annual comparative spending guide, which reports data in various spending categories.
   ”The guide reveals that Bordentown Regional spends prudently, responsibly, and well below other similar districts within the region and across the state,” she said.
   There are still some unknowns for the budget, including the administrators’ contraction negotiations. Negotiations are under way and the contracts expire June 30, 2011.
   The Bordentown Regional Education Association (BREA) has a contract in place that doesn’t expire until June 30, 2012. The contract includes a 2.5 percent salary adjustment for 2011-2012.
   Board member Thomas Dalton said that although there are a lot of things in the budget that “look good,” he doesn’t understand the logic in giving out 2.5 percent raises when there is a 2 percent cap on the budget. He also said the amount of money being handed out for raises could potentially save some of the jobs that are being cut.
   ”I think we’re going to continue to have these problems,” Dr. Bauer said. “It’s likely that we aren’t going to be able to restore programs or positions that have been cut.”
   The budget goes to the voters on April 27.
   Bordentown City will have voting hours from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Clara Barton Elementary School.
   Fieldsboro will also have 3 to 9 p.m. polling hours at the Fieldsboro Municipal Building.
   Bordentown Township will have polling hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Senior Citizen Center.
   Dr. Bauer explained that Bordentown Township has longer polling hours because of the special referendum question to exceed to municipal cap of 2 percent. The question will be presented on the same ballot as the school budget.
   Resident Reba Snyder said she was upset that the budget didn’t pass with a unanimous vote and she is afraid that if people see that some board members voted no, those residents will also vote no on the budget.