The following was submitted by Board of Ed member Chesky Seitler: There have been many conflicting reports about the exact amount of this year’s reduction in the BOE bduget. I would like to just clarify the numbers and information in a clear and concise manner.
Last year the BOE took 1.16 for every hundred dollar of assessed value. This year the BOE is taking 1.115 for every hundred dollars of value. That is a reduction of 3.9% or about 180.00 dollars for an average home assessed at 400k.
Now, here is the exact calculation. There are 2 parts to the BOE tax levy. There is the General Fund and there is the Debt Service fund. In this year’s budget there is a decrease to both of these areas.Last year the General tax levy was 71,593,625.and 73,632,349 including debt service. This year the General tax levy is 70,346,004. A reduction of 1,247,621 or 1.77%. Furthermore, the debt service was reduced from 2,038,724 to 867,074. A savings of 1,171,650. The total savings this year is 2,419,271. The total tax levy this year with the debt service is 71,231,078. This is a total savings of 3.40%. There is also roughly an additional 50 million dollars in ratable this year. This brings the total per hundred dollars of assessed value down to 1.115 or 3.9% from last year. The total savings is about 45 dollars for every 100k of assessed value.
The cuts were made in numerous areas. There was a 300k reduction in the maintenance contract with our vendor. There was 750k taken out of supplies, textbooks, and other misc areas. 335k was taken out of salaries since we are not projecting to give a raise to the teachers. However, there were other areas that required increases such as a new roof for the Middle school, 2 million dollars for bussing the projected 3,000 additional children next year, bli ayin horah. A projected increase of 12% for health benefits which totaled 1.2 million dollars and other areas that fell short this year. To help cover these increases there were other cuts that were made so that taxes would not have to be increased to cover the shortfall. Some of these additional reductions were as follows; adding the possibility of making the bus routes into one hour which reduced 700k. Removing 750k from one special ed line because the State has kicked in almost 900k for that line leaving an enormous surplus this year. Removing an additional 335k from the raises for teachers and using it to offset the rise in insurance costs. Additionaly, the roofing estimate was brought down by half thereby eliminating the need in the budget for 375k. There is still a one million increase for bussing which was covered by an additional 1 million in state aid and some minor increases and decreases in other areas as well.
In the end the decreases equaled about 3.2 million, however between the roof, insurance, special education and busing, almost 2 million of the reductions were reallocated back into the budget. The most important thing to remember about the budget is simple. A budget is just a guide. It is not a binding policy. If there is more money in one area it can be transfered to another area that fell short. The entire idea of a budget is to project how much total money is needed to run the District in the coming year. If one line item is short it can be replenished with a different item that has an excess. Therefore, the only thing that counts is the bottom line. The net reductions this year are almost 2.5 million off the tax levy. No services have been removed or proposed to be removed. No children will suffer or not receive the services they deserve. Should there be a shortage in a certain area it can be replenished from a different area. For the first time in history, the Administration and the Board worked together to help both the children and the taxpayers. Something that was “impossible” just 12 months ago, has become reality.
I hope this make things clearer and not more confusing.
“No children will suffer or not receive the services they deserve” Really?? Where is the Tiny Tots Program? Where Are all the kids that were rejected into SCHI?
Thanks Chesky Job well done!
keep the change
we want 40 mil cut fron the budget so everybody gets 2.5k reduction on their tax bill!!
we want real refrom, get rid of the old timers who are playing games with our money
Guys, enough with the TT and SCHI. It is coming out of our ears already. Move on! The TT children are all taken care of and there are 18 more kids in SCHI this year than last! Stop the rhetoric and appreciate the extra money in our pockets for the first time!
My child was hurt as a direct result of the new policies implemented by the new members of the BOE. Electing new members with similar ideologies will enable them to cause pain and long term damage to many other children in our town.
Thank you chesky, job well done keep it up
Not all the kids from TT are taken care of – many, many, many of them are not getting the help that they need!!!!!!!!!!
There are many people who do not enough food to eat! There are people who cannot afford to lease cars and buy luxury homes! They are not either getting what they need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As long as everyone has the basics that is what they need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the cup is now half full!
“For the first time in history, the Administration and the Board worked together to help both the children and the taxpayers. Something that was “impossible” just 12 months ago, has become reality.”
Thank you Mr. Seitler! All the frustrated tax payers applaud you and your colleagues for a job well done! Finally a breath of fresh air and renewed hope that things can change for the GOOD.
The job is not over though and much improvement can still be made I’m sure.
Dear Township Committee,
Please tell us clearly, as Mr. Seitler did, how and where you have cut wasteful spending and saved the taxpayers this year?
Additionally, (Twp. and BOE) please expound and narrow in on some of the seemingly wasteful or potentially unnecessary expenditures that are still “impossible” to change… or exposing some of the “outside forces” that are making it impossible to change… public awareness can help make it POSSIBLE.
Many tax payers are not able to attend Twp. and BOE meetings and therefore rely on TLS to be updated on the issues that were discussed at these meeting so please use this site as often as possible to educate the public on all important issues.
Lastly, thank you TLS for enabling the many well minded individuals to communicate their message through your site.
To good going – “Guys, enough with the TT and SCHI. It is coming out of our ears already” It should!! the parents of these children suffer every day lot more then that.
“The TT children are all taken care of and there are 18 more kids in SCHI this year than last” That is a BIG LIE and the fact that they have more kids this year doesnt show how many were rejected!!!
im sorry to say this but there is other people out there besides TT and SCHI
Great job Chesky,and you didn’t tell me about this article.
How is there a rise in insurance costs, when you they are paying in 1.5% and you didn’t give them a raise? and should you be talking about what you are taking from the teachers while you are negotiating a contract? and that they fact that the teachers are severely underpaid compared to any other districts in the state.
Have a nice day.
Thanks Chesky!! You are doing amazing work.
Finally we have leadership in the BOE that cares about the taxpayer and the students.
People need to remember, it is not a zero sum game.
You can cut waste and still have a good, no better, education than the dismal situation we have currentlly.
Keep up the good work, and don’t let the vocal naysayers (who will keep mentioning the libels re TT and SCHI) stop you from doing what is right.
Thanks, to a true asken.
Thank You Seitler,Silver,ZLATKINE AND fINK YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB IN TURNING THIS DISTRICT AROUND FOR THE BETTER.All while having the taxpayers in mind. keep up the good work