By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
The Princeton Regional Schools Board of Education gathered to discuss the development and status of the proposed 2012-2013 budget at the Jan.31 workshop meeting at the Valley Road administration building.
The estimated budget is $75,615,493 with revenues roughly totaled at $75,088,351 creating a possible $527,142 budget gap. The board does not expect any major cuts due to budgetary reasons and predicts the budget will be in balance by the end of February.
”There are no concerns about meeting the $527,142 gap or settling the budget,” said Superintendent Judy Wilson. “The numbers will shift between now and Feb. 22 and from Feb. 22 to Feb. 29, but it will be within the two percent cap.”
The board examined potential factors that might impact the evolving budget like funding for professional learning and the new teacher evaluation system along with the need for instructional technology in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Ms. Wilson emphasized that every grade and subject area in the new common core standards has a technological strand in it and tools are needed for these programs.
The current strand of technology dollars is $640,000 when traditionally it has been $500,000 since 2000. The full amount does not go to classroom technology and includes costs for the security budget, which covers areas like hardware, phone services and wiring.
This year the board wants to dedicate more of that money to instructional technology, which includes tools like computers, tablets, iPods and projectors. Ms. Wilson added the board’s goal is to a $1 million mark as a base line in addition to PowerUp donations.
”There is an issue that the technology budget must steadily increase each year,” said Ms. Wilson. “We should reach $1.5 million within the next three years, which is hard, but a quarter of a million at a time steadies it.”
The budget might also be impacted by the expansion of the Mandarin program in the middle school level. The board also expects to retrofit science labs in Princeton High School due to students taking additional science courses and electives.
The budget will be adjusted accordingly as the district gathers more information. For example, staff has increased contributions to make the overall district health care cost less, but premiums can still go up another 10 percent next year.
With the 2 percent cap, the tax levy will increase by $1,243,806 and the board estimated a two-cent increase in home values for the township and the borough. Accurate figures of these increases will be known on Feb. 29.
With the impending consolidation, the budget will take into consideration the collection from both municipality figures versus only one collection. However, the revenues do not match the expenditures, creating the $527,142 gap. The board mentioned the issue of the unexpected under-subscribed pre-schools.
”Classes have been full for the past two years and it was a low blip to not fill all of those spots,” said Ms. Wilson. The board plans to make a decision on how to insure that the two pre-school classes are full for 2012.
The district also faces a declining number of Cranbury students coming to the high school. Tuition income is down $300,000 based on Cranbury’s decreasing enrollment and declining per pupil costs.
Also, for the past two years the parents of some sports stepped up and paid for athletics, but this year it will be the board’s obligation to fully fund athletics again.
The district is counting on state aid, including a $741,000 extra payment they received in June. Board members are hoping for an additional installment of state aid to get the district to the 75 percent level of when they were cut back in 2010.
The board is also trying to pull back in maintenance items in the operating budget. If the gap isn’t closed in other ways, they will look at the maintenance and capital project line. Money would be taken out and placed into capital reserve.
”These are goals to the public these changes in the budget aren’t just to raise revenue,” said Ms. Wilson. “This is the work of the board that will be accomplished as a result of investment.”
A tentative budget will be approved on Feb. 29 to submit for review and approval to Mercer County regardless if there is a vote.

