After Changes, School Budget Approved

In a special meeting of the School District of the Chathams Board of Education on Monday, the board presented a new budget proposal for the 2010 – 2011 school year. The board's original budget proposal was not accepted by the Executive County Superintendent who, due to a 2007 law, has the ability to line-item veto school budgets.

"To a large degree, we are subject to the whims of a bureaucrat at the county," said board member Jonathan Chatinover, who conducted the second half of the budget proposal.

The new budget proposal differs from last week's in a few key ways: two full-time and six part-time instructional aides at the 1st through 3rd grade levels and new library circulation software will be cut, while new revenue for employee share of health benefits and for student user fees will eliminate $751,440 worth of spending from the budget.

By cutting just over three-quarters of a million dollars from the budget, the local tax levy will drop from an 8.9% to a 7.4% increase, dropping the increase in property taxes from the original budget proposal from 3.4% to 2.7% for Borough residents and from 2.6% to 1.8% for Township residents. For a $700,000 home the average tax change would be an increase of $193 for Borough residents and $129 for Township residents.

Part of the increased revenue expected by the board will come in the form of student user fees – a $150 charge for all students involved in any extra-curricular activity. This fee will be charged only once per student, not per activity.

Despite the cuts, Chatham will be among the few districts in the state adding positions to their budgets, and will even be adding a new program in the high school: Mandarin Chinese. These new positions, along with increasing salaries of current teachers and staff, result in a 2.5% increase in salary and benefits cost. This increase is small compared to most years.

Chatham's 7.4% tax levy increase, although down from last week's proposal of 8.9%, is still significantly higher than the state-wide cap of 4%, but the law allows exceptions for districts, such as Chatham, with large enrollment growth. There are also exceptions made when state aid is cut which allows districts to ask for increased aid from the community.

Many present at the meeting were concerned about the length of Kindergarten days, which in the new budget will decrease by 20 minutes. There was talk of a second question on next month's ballot which would allot for the funds to keep the length of the kindergarten day where it now stands, at two hours and 50 minutes instead of two hours and 30 minutes, but for the second question to pass it would need a 60% majority and it would need to be accepted by the Executive County Superintendent.

If rejected, the length of kindergarten days would be stuck at two hours and 30 minutes, so instead of risking rejection, the board and school administrations opted against a second question, and instead hope that as money frees up from retirements or unexpected savings, the current length of kindergarten days might be preserved. Either way, concerned parents will have to wait a few months before they find out.

"We would probably know by June 1st," said Superintendent James O'Neill. "Then we can announce it for the following year."

Many issues were addressed by the public during the meeting, with various viewpoints represented. Joseph Kelly expressed concerns that spending would be increased.

"The board has caved in every year," said Kelly in reference to salary negotiations.

Other residents called for the board to keep in mind the Chatham school district's tradition of excellence.

"We moved here two years ago for the schools," said Dan Marino. "The kids graduating this year have had the benefit of lower class sizes for the past 12 years, so will the kids today be getting the same benefits?"

Marino concluded by urging the board and the town to take a long-term perspective with regard to education, and his sentiment was echoed throughout the evening by board members and other residents.

Even some Chatham high school students, exhibiting their academic prowess, were asking questions for a history project they were assigned.

"Our solution would be merging the municipalities into one…our research has shown it to be beneficial," said Chatham high school junior Jessica Carey.

Although the board and administration do not have the power to force such a merger, members of both agreed with Carey and informed her that it is the Borough council and Township committees who wield the ability to combine the two municipalities.  

The meeting ended with some impassioned comments from board members, and a unanimous vote to approve the new budget proposal.

Board member Alan Routh spoke fervently against the Executive County Superintendent's ability to line-item veto district budgets, which, he said, "Is now being used to override what Chatham residents want."

He urged residents who disagree with the 2007 law to speak with their representatives about the issue.

The polls for the 2010 – 2011 budget, as well as candidates for the Board of Education, will be open on April 20th from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Borough residents will vote in the Middle School and Township residents will vote in the High School.