P'burg
school budget bets on state aid
District won't raise taxes, assuming it gets
Abbott funding.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005 • By MICHAEL P. BUFFER •
The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG -- The school board on Monday introduced a
$60.4 million budget that would maintain the current
property tax rate in the town.
But the budget assumes the state will provide an
additional $3.7 million in discretionary aid. State
officials have said the district will not receive the
additional funding because of a state funding shortage, but
school district lawyers say the district is entitled to the
funding because of Abbott school regulations, Business
Administrator Bill Poch said.
The Phillipsburg School District is one of 31 Abbott
districts -- poor districts named after court decisions
ordering equitable per-pupil financing.
In a state budget proposal unveiled last week by acting
Gov. Richard J. Codey, most of the 600 school districts in
New Jersey would get exactly the same amount from the state
next year, and the 31 Abbott districts would be able to
share $59 million in additional state money.
If the Phillipsburg district doesn't get the $3.7
million in additional state funding, the end result would be
big spending cuts, a tax hike or both. Under the budget
proposed for 2005-06, the tax rate would remain $1.148 cents
for each $100 of assessed property value.
Also Monday, the school board approved a 3 percent
increase in the tuition rates for the sending municipalities
outside Phillipsburg that include Alpha, Bloomsbury, and
Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong townships. Next year's
tuition rates are:
- $6,621 for a preschool/kindergarten student.
- $7,952 for first- to fifth-grade student.
- $10,938 for a sixth- to eighth-grade student.
- $10,389 for a ninth- to 12th-grade student.
- $19,468 for a student with behavioral
disabilities.
- $12,004 for a student with learning or language
disabilities.
A hearing on the proposed budget is scheduled for March
28, and the budget will be on the April 19 school election
ballot. The proposed budget funds 17 additional jobs, Poch
said.
Also during the meeting, the board approved a new
three-year contract with the union representing 15 security
guards. The contact expires June 30, 2007.
Under the contract, the top salary for the job will
improve from $26,250 this year to $28,250 in two years, Poch
said.
Reporter Michael P. Buffer can be reached at 610-258-7171
or by e-mail at mbuffer@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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