Proposed Great Meadows Regional school budget would cut teachers, raise taxes

Friday, March 19, 2010
By STEPHEN J. NOVAK
The Express-Times

INDEPENDENCE TWP. | Budget options introduced Thursday would increase taxes in the Great Meadows Regional School District while cutting teachers and supplies.

The budget must go to the county executive superintendent for review, and it is slated to appear before voters during the April 20 school elections. A public hearing on a finalized budget is scheduled for March 29.

Superintendent Tim Frederiks described "drastic cuts" to a silent school board and audience of about 30.

Frederiks' proposals to close a $1.8 million shortfall include the elimination of eight teaching positions and several aides and cuts in classroom and library supplies and textbooks. Class sizes also would increase to 20 or so children.

Board President Jennifer Cassini said they did not want to cut teachers, but ran out of options.

"There's just only so much budget you can cut before you get to the biggest percentage of our budget, and that is personnel," Cassini said.

The proposals, even with the cuts, require an additional $678,000 above the state-imposed 4 percent cap to make up for losses in state aid. The board raised its target cap adjustment after considering an additional $340,000 above the cap, which would have required eliminating two additional teachers, a guidance counselor and the curriculum director.

With the $340,000 cap adjustment, the proposed budget would raise taxes 10 cents above the Liberty Township rate of $1.64 per $100 of assessment. Independence Township residents would see an 8-cent increase above the current $1.08 per $100 of assessment tax rate.

If the cap adjustment is not approved, the tax increase would be 5 cents for each town, administrators said.

Great Meadows officials blamed the difficult budget, in part, on cuts to school aid programs announced by Gov. Chris Christie. Great Meadows' aid was reduced 15 percent, or about $950,000, a number Frederiks said was the district's "worst-case scenario" come true.

Formed in 1993, Great Meadows has three schools: Liberty Elementary, Independence Township Central and Great Meadows Regional Middle schools.

Budgets have not fared well in recent years for the Great Meadows district. Those that fail in the April school board elections have to go to their municipal governments for review and approval.

"I don't see a snowball's chance in you-know-where of this budget passing," resident Mike Trotter said, lamenting the district's "legendary in-fighting."