School budgets: Wednesday is decision day

By Ruth Luse, Managing Editor
   Lamberville, Stockton and West Amwell Township voters will make decisions Wednesday (April 27) about local school district budgets.
   Polls in Stockton and West Amwell will be open from 3-9 p.m., while polls in Lambertville will open earlier, at 7 a.m., because of the special city referendum on trash collection (see separate story on this page).
   — Voters in all three municipalities will cast ballots on the 2011-12 proposed spending plan for South Hunterdon Regional High School (grades seven-12).
   South’s budget proposal totals $10.09 million and would be supported with a $7,929,856 tax levy — an increase of 1.5 percent or $117,190.
   The district anticipates receiving $355,465 in state aid — up 32 percent over the current year’s budget, but $267,000 less than what was allocated to the district in 2009-10. The district expects another $128,301 in other aid, which is down 6.2 percent when compared to the current spending plan.
   The proposed budget would allocate $1,607,592 toward payment of principal and interest on debt service, which was OK’d by voters in 2005. Debt service payments are not subject to voter approval.
   The district would use $11,703 from interest on surplus and anticipated state aid to reduce the tax levy burden on taxpayers.
   If this budget is OK’d by voters, tax impacts would be:
   — Lambertville — Property owners would pay 68.01 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, down from 69.8 cents in the current budget. The tax bill for a house assessed at the city average of $357,800 would drop $64.08.
   — West Amwell — The cost per $100 of assessed valuation would be 66.82 cents, for an increase of 5.94 cents over the current spending plan. If the budget is approved, a house assessed at the township average of $456,213, would pay $271 more for regional school taxes.
   — In Stockton, the cost per $100 of assessed valuation would be 60.56 cents, for an increase of 9.98 cents over the current budget. A house assessed at the borough average of $373,504, would pay $372.72 more to support the high school.
   After South’s budget was defeated last year, Superintendent Nancy Gartenberg said the district formed a municipal work group made up of representatives from each of its sending schools. The group met to determine ways to trim costs. Measures implemented include: increasing class sizes; eliminating electives and clubs and athletic programs where participation is less than 10 students; eliminating department chairs; assessing a fee to students for school-sponsored field trips; and reducing the number of sixth block classes by seven for a savings of about $60,000.
   Administrative costs also were cut by combining job descriptions. Assistant Principal Mary Robinson Cohen is guidance director as well as supervisor of curriculum and instruction.
   The cost-cutting measures are in addition to steps the district had already taken to shave $171,000 off expenses after the budget was defeated last April.
   The district also hopes to save money on utility costs though the use of solar power. It is estimated that once the planned solar installation is up and running, the district could slash utility bills as much as $70,000 a year, according to board member Don Seiter.
   — For support of the Lambertville Public School’s proposed 2011-12 budget, local taxpayers will be asked to pay $3,059,072. In 2010-11, the tax levy was $2,969,973.
   The proposed tax rate is 42.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. For the owner of a house assessed at the current city average of $357,866, the tax bill would be $1,528.09. Last year, when the tax rate was 41.1 cents per $100 of assessed value and the average assessment was $359,000, the average homeowner paid $1,486.26.
   For the average homeowner, the proposed budget would mean an increase in property taxes of about $42.
   The proposed budget totals $3,441,377.
   A major item leading to the budget challenge is increased enrollment — expected to top 190 next year, up from 181 this year.
   Because of the school’s growth, the proposed budget would increase the amount collected from local taxpayers, by 3 percent. Although that’s more than the 2-percent cap the state has restricted most school districts to for the 2011-12 school year, it’s lower than the maximum 16.9 percent the state said LPS could increase taxes.
   The state gave its approval for the higher tax levy because of increased enrollment.
   — The school board of Stockton Borough School has proposed a 2011-12 budget that would raise the tax levy by 2 percent. The proposed tax levy (for support of the school) — the amount that will appear on April 27 ballots — is $649,709.
   Based on property assessment figures provided by Michele Hovan, borough clerk, the increase would mean a small tax hike for the average property owner, almost $25.
   The proposed tax rate would be 68.35 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The owner of a house assessed at the average of $373,504 would pay $2,552.90 to support the school, nearly $25 more.
   Last year, when the average assessment was $375,964 and the tax rate was 67.25 cents per $100 of assessed property value, the average homeowner paid $2,528.40.
   If one applies the two tax rates (proposed 68.35 cents and current 67.25) to the same $373,504 assessment figure, the property owner would pay about $41 more to support the budget in 2011-12.
   The spending plan includes an extra $6,700 for the school’s four full-time teachers. The increase is based on a contract revision the board agreed to last June. The June revision set pay increases at 2.1 percent, 3.1 percent and 4.1 percent — a total of 9.3 percent over three years. Without the revision, the teachers this school year would have ended up with a salary decrease because of a state-mandated 1.5-percent deduction for health benefits contributions.
   The board plans to draw $25,536 from surplus to help balance the 2011-12 budget, “which will leave approximately $50,000 in the fund,” board President Jim Gallagher said recently.
   The district plans to continue to reduce costs by sharing and contracting services, such as its business administrator, music teacher, child study team and speech and occupational services.
   However, “there are certain state-mandated costs we cannot control. For 2011-12 these are projected to increase by 5 percent or more,” noted Mr. Gallagher.
   The district will receive $6,759 in state aid.
   Last year, voters said no to the school’s proposed budget, which called for a 4-percent increase. As a result, the Borough Council and the board agreed to a cut of $5,700 that brought the increase down to 3 percent.
   Enrollment this year is 42. It is projected to be 48 next year.
   — The school board of West Amwell Township Elementary School has proposed a budget that would raise the tax levy by 2 percent.
   The spending plan of $4,286,956, which includes debt service, calls for no major changes to programs or staffing. There will be no cuts, nor will there be any additions, according to Business Administrator Donna Tolley.
   The proposed spending plan would increase the property tax bill for the average homeowner by about $50.
   The tax levy, the amount raised through local taxation, would be $3,790,114.
   With a proposed tax rate of 70.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $456,213 would pay $3,211.74.
   Last year, when the tax rate was 69.3 cents per $100 of assessed property value and the average assessment was $456,281, the average homeowner paid $3,162.03.
   School enrollment is expected to remain at 261.
   The school plans capital projects for a total cost of about $150,000. Among them are: repair of the heating and air-conditioning system in the main office at about $20,000; and the installation of student cubbies in classrooms for grades one through three.
   In 2011-12, teachers will receive a contracted 3.01 pay increase in the final year of a three-year agreement.
   The school district and the teachers signed the deal late in the 2009-10 school year, retroactive to July 1, 2009 and running through June 30, 2012. The settlement was reached with the assistance of a state-appointed fact-finder.
   Teachers will be contributing 1.5 percent to the cost of their health insurance coverage, a new state requirement.
    Staff Writer Linda Seida and Special Writer Cynthia Williamson contributed to this account.