By Ed Birch, Special Writer
The South Brunswick Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution Monday night to send its proposed $138 million 2013-2014 budget to the Middlesex County Superintendent.
The proposed spending plan calls for a flat tax levy and carries no tax rate increase for residents this year, according to officials.
The proposal lists a General Fund budget of $127,914,026 and a total base budget of $138,501,708. The local tax levy will remain at $96,124,967 if approved.
The board plans to hold at least two informational sessions at local school sites on each side of Route 1 to allow township residents to get more information on the plan before it is adopted, officials said.
A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held as part of the next scheduled board meeting on March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Crossroads North Middle School on George’s Road in Dayton.
”With the fall in rateables being limited to only .21 percent in the township, the Budget Committee was able to stick to our master plan and not ask for a tax increase” said board member and committee Chairman Daniel Boyle after the approval.
Mr. Boyle said $1 million credited from the State of New Jersey as a result of last year’s Charter School projected enrollment budgeting and an estimated $690,000 in energy savings to provide some of the needed funds to keep the tax rate flat.
In addition, the board was able to switch employee health insurance carriers to Horizon while continuing to provide the exact same benefits at a total cost savings of $600.000 to the district.
”The net gain was attributed to contributions from Chapter 78 regarding employee health insurance contributions, and strong experience ratings by the new carrier,” Mr. Boyle said.
Other savings were gained from the refinancing of bonds last year, he said.
Mr. Boyle also credited the district’s employees agreeing to an accountability plan in future labor contracts, and savings attributed to the work of the newly hired Energy Specialist.
Among the programs leading to the cost savings are increased efforts in recycling waste, greater efforts to turn lights off after building use, and the Continuing Education Department limiting its use of district buildings to just one, he said.
Township Chief Financial Officer Joe Monzo reported on the district’s budget plan to the Township Council Tuesday night and said that in addition to the savings listed by Mr. Boyle, an increase in the assessment ratio also enabled the district to keep the tax rate flat although the town lost a small amount of value.
Since moving school elections to November, the district does not have to put the budget up for a public vote and can simply adopt the spending plan following a public hearing.
This would be the second district budget to be approved in this way.

