Town Council plans a joint meeting for budget review.
By: Melissa Hayes
The Township Council said Tuesday night that it would work quickly to review the $119 million school budget defeated by voters last week.
The council has until May 19 to review the budget, make recommendations about spending cuts and set a new school tax levy. It has responsibility for only the $106.7 million general fund portion, which covers daily operations; the rest is covered under debt service, or money borrowed with voter approval in the past.
Under state law, defeated budgets must be submitted to the municipal governing body, in this case the council, within 48 hours of the vote total being certified by the county clerk. The council then has until May 19 to act.
Once the council sets a new tax levy, the board has 15 days to either accept it and submit the new budget to the county superintendent’s office, or appeal it to the state education commissioner.
Voters defeated the budget on April 19 by a 1,477-1,472 tally.
The council did not discuss the specifics of the school budget Tuesday night, but did review its responsibilities and options.
Mayor Frank Gambatese told the council he has been in touch with school Superintendent Gary McCartney. The mayor asked the council’s permission to meet with the superintendent to discuss logistics.
Council members agreed and said they also would like the full council to meet jointly with the school board rather than appointing separate subcommittees. They said subcommittees would make the process longer.
Ron Schmalz, township public affairs coordinator, said Tuesday that the meetings have not been scheduled.
Township Attorney Don Sears told the council that a date for the joint meeting would be announced after Mayor Gambatese and Dr. McCartney meet. He said that the council and board could meet at a regularly scheduled council meeting on May 3 or May 10. The council does not have a meeting May 17, but could call a special meeting to resolve the school budget, he said.
Dr. McCartney said he would leave the arrangements up to the council.
"We will be working with the township in whatever way they like," he said at Monday’s school board meeting.
School administrators are hopeful that the council will not aim to cut more than 1 cent off the proposed tax rate. The budget had called for a 19-cent increase per $100 of assessed valuation. That amount included 16.8 cents for the general fund, 0.8 cents for the second question and 1.4 cents from already approved debt.
Jeff Scott, assistant superintendent for business, said each penny is equal to about $760,000 in spending. He said the defeat of the second budget question, which asked voters to approve $657,597 for courtesy busing, would mean that the council could reduce the tax increase to 18 cents by cutting another $100,000. The second question was defeated 1,506-1,330.
Dr. McCartney said that because the question failed, the district cannot use budgeted money to cover it.
"It’s beyond our hold in terms of providing that service," he said.
Mr. Scott said April 19 that the district has other options, such as providing the service via subscription on a sliding scale based on economic need.