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Public To Get Two Chances To Comment On School Budget Next Week
By Catherine Snipe
School officials will present the district budget proposal twice next week in public meetings to answer resident's questions.
The township council meeting next Tuesday, March 27, will feature school district officials on hand to present the proposed 2007/2008 school budget, which includes a 6.26-cent tax rate increase.
The board of education will hold its own meeting next Thursday, where the budget will again be outlined for the public.
Township Council President Stephen Acropolis said questions of the school officials at the council meeting would be allowed. School officials would also have a chance to address questions from the public at its own meeting, which also has a public forum section.
The proposed school budget comes in at more than $120 million. About $80 million of that will be funded through local property taxes, with the remaining $40 million coming from the state.
The school district received more state funding than last year, but the state also voted to cap the school budgets this year. And, school officials argue, after years without increased state funding, the schools are underfunded.
District officials claim Brick Township schools are underfunded by $22 million.
In its report on its website, school officials report that this year, the district faces increased pension costs, energy bills, insurance and a tuition hike for special education out-of-district students.
The priorities for the 2007-2008 school year are to maintain academic programs, create a kindergarten through fifth grade reading series, upgrade school security and fix roofs, according to the report.
The district plans to look at maintenance projects, non-mandated programs and staff reductions as part of its spending plan.
Having two budget presentations - one
in front of the council's television cameras
and a second at its own meeting - allows the public a greater chance to
participate in the budget process, officials said.
The school budget is not the only presentation scheduled for the Tuesday township council meeting. Three township department heads will report to the council regarding their proposed 2007 budgets as part of several weeks worth of presentations from each township department.
Daniel F. Newman, Jr. is scheduled to present the Building and Code Enforcement budget. Michael Fowler will present the budget for Land Use, Board of Adjustment, Affordable Housing, Zoning and Engineering budget and Mandie Krakosky will present Human Resource Department budget.
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