Would You have Approved the School Budget?: Here's What You Said.

When asked if they would approve a 2012-13 school budget if it were put up for a vote this year, Patch readers said YES!

On Thursday, March 22, the Board of Education approved a $131,176,099 school budget. The 2012-13 spending plan calls for $110,437,402 to be raised by taxes and carries a tax rate increase of 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Under that rate, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $100,000 can expect to pay an additional $100 in school taxes next year.

In February, the school board voted to move school elections to the General Election in November. Under the new rules, school budgets would go to voters only if the district requests a spending increase of more than 2 percent. This year’s proposal increases about 1.9 percent.

According to last week’s Patch poll, 60 people would have voted for the budget, and 48 against it.

Readers who responded to the poll also had a few things to say about the district, the local charter school and state school aid.

“There is a law in this state that pertains to state funding of public schools--the SFRA is a school funding formula that sets out how much money the state is to give each school district,” said Patch reader DECA. “In 2009-2010, in the middle of a school year, the state stripped East Brunswick of over $5 million of that SFRA funding. The total amount that the state has underfunded SFRA for East Brunswick since 2009 (and including the next year of FY2012-2013) is a whopping $23 million. If we had gotten that money that we are entitled to by law, we would more programs (such as foreign language in elementary I bet) and property tax relief for all residents of East Brunswick. I do not enjoy paying more in property tax, but until such time that our state meets their obligations to the public schools, I will support the BOE in their quest to maintain excellence in the face of unprecedented loss, especially one under the state mandated cap.”

Since the 2008-09 school year, state had has dropped drastically. In that year, the district received $20,0878,014 in state aid; in 2009-10 it received $15,527,825; in 2010-11 it received $13,817,220; in 2011-12 it received $15,145,501; for the current year it received $16,473, 782 and for the upcoming year it expects to receive $17,678,170. In addition, in 2010 state aid was cut mid-year by $5,008,573 when the governor announced that certain school districts with enough “surplus,” or fund balance, should use that money instead.

“Yes, considering that the state has not fulfilled its funding obligations to our district, and considering the 2 million siphoned out of our budget by Hatikvah charter school, all that aside, it is a pretty lean budget,” said Patch poster, Kelly.

Other readers were more skeptical, and questioned the district’s ability to keep spending just below the 2 percent spending cap limit.

“Irregardless of what numbers are put into the budget - they will be entering just enough to get below the 2 percent cap thereby avoiding the property owners approval/disapproval who pay the majority of taxes for education - even SENIORS do not get a break - maybe they should tax the representatives of the public who pay little or no taxes - yet create laws for us to follow - when will judges pay their fair share into the pension fund??? Interesting the $ figures only show up once a year???,” said Bob.

While DECA was quick to blame state aid for some of the problem, they also pointed out that there are a variety of factors when it comes to why taxes go up.

“The budget has decreased over the past few years but as property tax income has also decreased, and fixed costs increased, so has the need to add additional tax burden to the local property tax payer - in addition to cutting programs and instituting pay for play and club participation. Remember the state is underfunding us - this year alone - by around $4 million. But as a point of fact - flat budgets often result in increased property taxes.”