Condensed school budget schedule, grim state aid numbers make for painful budget year

Sunday, January 31, 2010
By SARAH M. WOJCIK
The Express-Times

In his 14 years as a school district chief administrator, Hackettstown Superintendent Robert Gratz has never seen anything quite like this year's budget season.

Districts are dealing with a shortened school budget timeline, due to extra time afforded to new Gov. Chris Christie to craft the state budget. School officials also fear a drop in state aid.

Together, the two challenges are to blame for what are expected to be very ugly budget deliberations.

"In the past we've had the understanding that we'd have flat (state aid) funding ... but what we're hearing now is certainly not flat funding, but a possible reduction in funding," Gratz said.

Normally delivered in February, Gov. Chris Christie's budget address has been pushed back to March 16. State aid figures should be available the following day. The New Jersey Department of Education is advising school districts to allow for possible reductions in state aid in their 2010-11 budgets.

Districts' public budget hearings must occur between March 29 and April 3. Elections are slated for April 20.

New Jersey School Board Association spokesman Mike Yaple said the association has been doing its best to keep districts aware of the fluctuating dates, news and rules associated with this year's complicated budget season.

"When it comes to crafting a budget I think everyone knows to brace yourself for a very rocky ride," Yaple said.

'Catastrophic for kids'

North Warren Regional Superintendent Brian Fogelson wants to make sure all the bases are covered. Administrators plan on creating several budgets based on the various scenarios staring down the school district -- none of which is particularly rosy.

"There's no question that our district is going to face a shortfall," Fogelson said. "It's just a matter of how much of a shortfall."

North Warren Regional's budget totaled about $17.2 million last year, with $5.5 million in state aid, according to Fogelson. Chatter in Trenton has officials anticipating the possible elimination of 10 percent of that aid, he said.

One of the worst-case scenarios for the district is a $1.9 million shortfall.

"I certainly hope to God that doesn't happen," Fogelson said. "That's going to be catastrophic for our kids. Because where do you come up with that kind of money without cutting programs or cutting staff?"

Fogelson said perhaps one of the worst parts about the condensed timeline is the lack of opportunities for more input in the budgeting process, particularly from the public.

"We don't really get a chance to get a lot of stakeholders involved," he said.

Phillipsburg officials cautioned school board members this week that state aid cuts could eliminate up to $4.5 million in school funding, which would create a staggering shortfall for the district.

Looking to tap surpluses

Tim Frederiks, superintendent of the Allamuchy Township and Great Meadows Regional school districts, also has plans to craft multiple budgets to deal with different financial scenarios.

Great Meadows, more dependent on state aid than Allamuchy, stands to lose more because of tight state finances. Frederiks said state officials have advised districts to look to their surplus reserves to plug gaps, but even if the money is available, Frederiks said, it's poor planning for the district's future.

"It can be used as a way to help the state budget shortfall but doesn't necessarily help us," he said.

Gratz said schools' state aid problems are not unique; municipalities are facing the same problem.

"We're not isolated on this," Gratz said. "We're going to have work together to make sure we're able to provide quality service our school and community has come to expect."

Frederiks said as easy as it is to be pessimistic, districts and the community will endure.

"As long as we're rowing in the same direction, I think we'll get through it," he said.

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ELECTION UNCERTAINTY

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Gov. Chris Christie's transition team looking at education has suggested moving school elections from April 20 to November. In response to the uncertainty, the New Jersey School Board Association is instituting paperless candidate kits available online at njsba.org, spokesman Mike Yaple said.

Two bills in the New Jersey Assembly address school election issues. Both bills would stop the practice of voting for school budgets unless they exceed state spending limits, while only one proposes moving school board member elections to November.

Proponents of the election shift say it would save districts money and improve voter turnout. Opponents claim school board elections would be inundated with partisan politics if school board candidates, who are nonpartisan, are placed on the same ballot as other elected officials.