2013-14 School Budget Hearing and Vote Slated for Thursday Night
Board of Education members will vote on the 2013-14 spending plan after hearing public comment
Board of Education members will vote Thursday on approving the $208 million 2013-14 Toms River schools budget.
In the spending plan, which will be voted on after a 7:30 p.m. public hearing at High School North, $141,838,236 is to be raised by local property taxes, an increase of 1.9 percent over the 2012-13 spending plan, the district has said.
Board members Ginny Rhine and Alex Pavliv were the lone no votes to the preliminary budget earlier in March, citing objections to the use of a $234,000 health benefits cap waiver. Both indicated that they would have preferred to find other funding sources rather than apply a cap waiver.
The spending plan is a "maintenance budget," in that it keeps staffing and program levels stable, administrators have said during a series of preliminary budget hearings held leading up to the preliminary vote.
"We believe that we have put together a fiscally sound budget, one that provides for the means of the district while being conscious of the cost to the taxpayer, especially in light of the times and recent events," said Business Administrator William Doering, who presented the budget on March 5 to a small audience at High School North.
It still remains unclear how taxes among the regional school district's four municipalities will be affected, as the county likely will not certify ratable bases until mid-April.
The district will receive an additional $433,802 in state aid for its 2013-14 budget, a figure that came as a disappointment.
"It certainly was not what we were hoping for," Doering said during a recent public budget meeting. The district will receive a total of $67,712,061 in aid, a 0.6 percent increase over the current amount, according to the state.
The district posted budget information, including the Powerpoint presentation shown before the preliminary vote, on its website.
More Toms River Patch articles on the budget are available here:
Two Oppose Proposed School Budget; Plan Calls for 1.9 Percent Tax Levy Increase
School Tax Distribution Breakdown Expected in Mid-April
School Aid Figures 'Not What We Were Hoping For,' Administrator Says
Greg
8:49 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Perhaps if we eliminated an Assistant Superintendent position that will become vacant July 1 instead of posting it on the district website to be filled then we would be able to save an administrator salary of over $150,000.00 a year without the benefits and the other perks that come along with that job. Then ask the coaches and moderators of clubs to take less money that they add to their salaries to help lessen the tax burden. Maybe ask the parents of the athletes to pay a fee for their children to play a sport. Something along the lines of a $100.00 for football and hockey and $75.00 to soccer and baseball/softball and maybe $50.00 to track, use these fees to help pay for the buses or the drivers or use the fees to help off set the cost of the lights because everyone has to play under the lights after all. Also make all of these coaches and athletes are responsible for returning all of the uniforms and other equipment that belong to the school district and if it is not returned to the school then charge that athletes parents for the replacement cost! I would just like to know how this district can produce a budget when they have NO IDEA what the tax burden is going to look like for ANY of the sending districts! Is it that they just don't give a damn? Mr. Doreing tells the media that they are going to apply for a 5 million dollar loan. Well, Doeriing, that loan has to be paid back.
Ken
11:53 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I agree !00% with what you said about the coaches and moderators. The money they get paid should be cut at least in half. Also I find $100.00 per sport per athlete more than reasonable.
Greg
8:55 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Mr. Doering, How do you propose to pay this loan back when there is no one left with a job to pay the bills? Between this township and this school district there is NO MONEY left to pay the mortgage. Perhaps you need to take this budget and go back to the drawing board and see where you and the rest of the administration and boe can CUT CUT CUT!!
ChiefWahoo
9:03 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
The death spiral continues .......
I look around TR every day and I see it. No way people can afford their Mortgages AND monthly bills AND property taxes. No Way. Way Past Time to have an honest discussion. And yet these public takers just keep adding to the problem year after year. ENOUGH !
JD
9:52 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Clean Slate has a bunch of empty campaign promises...
They haven't done 1 thing for what they campaigned on in cutting spending. Now they have the majority so they don't have an excuse. They are just rubber stampers like the Ritacco 9.
They should be mindful that there will be at least a $10million shortfall in revenue collected in taxes due to Sandy. Why don't they just wait 2 weeks so they know what the tax impact will be. TR tax assessor's office will know in 2 weeks. Waiting 2 weeks would be the prudent thing to do.
Richmusak
5:36 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Doesn't ANYBODY see the "conflict of interest" here?? The school board voting on the school budget?!?!? Tell me how that's not illegal! Wake up, people!!
chtulu2000
8:12 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Complain to Christie about that, since he is the one who offered this option to all of the school districts in NJ!