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Brick Marches To Statehouse To Blast School Funding Formula
By Keith Hagarty
Saying they're mad as heck and aren't going to take it anymore, local officials, students and residents joined forces last week to take their opposition to the state's school funding formula all the way to the New Jersey Statehouse steps.
Brick was particularly hit hard by the state's school funding formula as it developed the 2008-2009 school year budget, according to interim Superintendent of Schools Melindo A. Persi. Hit so hard, in fact, the school district made the decision to close two of its schools - the Primary Learning Center and Laurelton School - at the end of the school year.
Comprised of over 10,600 students, the Brick School District operates 14 schools.
Prior to state aid numbers being released early this year, Persi said the district was actually optimistic it would be able to use state funding to further enhance several of its educational programs. However, such high hopes, he said, were quickly vanquished.
"As the (state school funding) formula was rolled out on January 24, we were surprised that the district would receive only an increase of two percent, which amounted to $780,838," Persi told the state Assembly Education Committee on March 6. "That fact, coupled with the fact that the district would be capped by a four percent increase on the tax levy, made the notion of improvement of program virtually impossible."
Joining Persi in Trenton last week were township officials and school administrators, including School Business Administrator James Edwards, who is also vice president of the NJASBO (New Jersey Association of School Business Officials).
"Looking forward, it appears that the 2009- 2010 budget year will be as bleak, and significant reductions in programs would need to be made in order to meet the shrinking state aid," he said.
While the district saw an additional $3.3 million in revenue from the tax levy, and another $780,838 in increased aid, it still faced more than $7.6 million in increased expenditures this year.
Persi pointed to several factors which trumped the increased revenue figures, such as over $3.4 million dedicated for annual contractual salary increases, an additional $1.38 million in pension costs, $1.9 million for health benefits, more than $373,000 in elevated insurance costs and another $446,000 for a rise in utility fees.
What the district was left with was a $3.5 million shortfall.
"After one public hearing attended by 600 residents and staff, the board of education upon my recommendation voted to close the Primary Learning Center - a center that housed all of the district's kindergarten students - and transfer those students to their home schools for a savings of $856,625 from a reduction in staff," Persi told the committee. "Additionally, the Laurelton School- an alternate school housing five classes- would be moved to the Primary Learning Center. Additionally, $1,082,937 would be appropriated from surplus in order to fill the $1.9 million gap."
Another $3.6 million is anticipated to be appropriated in the next year's school budget, about $2.39 million more than the present year.
"The plan is that the Laurelton School will be sold and the proceeds would replenish the meager surplus," said Persi.
Also attending the rally was Mayor Stephen Acropolis, showing his support of the school district. Prior to the rally, Acropolis attended a Governor Jon Corzine's briefing on cuts in municipal state aid.
"I went to Trenton to support our schools and help them tell our legislators that something needs to change," said the mayor. "The state's formula for distributing school funding is unfair to communities like Brick Township."
While in Trenton, Acropolis also attended a seminar on state aid cuts for municipalities. Brick stands to see a reduction of nearly $700,000 in state aid from last year's level.
"Municipalities throughout the state are facing similar budget problems," he said. "We are facing increasing non-discretionary costs and cuts in state aid. Many of these increasing costs are because of obligations created by state agencies. Combine these issues with spending and tax levy caps, and towns are having a difficult time making the numbers work."
Acropolis pointed to the 2008 increase in state aid for the school district is only $780,838, which is approximately only 6/10 of one percent of last year's overall school budget.
"Our schools' operating costs are increasing every year, yet our state aid is going up only two percent," said Acropolis. "We are already on the verge of closing schools. What is next?"
Joining the mayor from the township administration at the rally was Business Administrator Scott Pezarras and Administration Deputy Department Head Juan Bellu.
About 70 students from the school district also attended the rally. Acropolis said their presence speaks volumes about how seriously Brick's officials and students feel about properly funding their education.
"I was pleased to see young people getting involved," he said. "Their voices need to be heard, as they are the ones who are bearing the brunt of the state's decisions. It's their education that is being impacted."
Townships such as Brick are doing their part to provide the proper funding for a quality education, Acropolis said, urging state legislators to do the same.
"This is about obligations. We are working hard to run our township in a fiscally responsible way and the board of education is doing the same," said Acropolis. "That is made harder when the state chooses not to fulfill its obligations. Unfortunately, the people who are going to pay are the taxpayers of Brick."
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