Board revises school budget figures
Projected increase in tax rate drops from 7.74 to 5.34 cents
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer
The Jackson Board of Education has revised its 2008-09 school budget figures and will ask voters to support a lower than anticipated local tax levy in the April 15 school election. Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A public hearing on the budget for the upcoming school year was held on March 25. School district administrators announced that evening that the total budget had been reduced from an initial total of $137.5 million to a revised amount of $136.3 million.

On April 15, residents will be asked to approve a tax levy of $64 million to support the operation of the school district. The initial tax levy that was introduced by the board was $65.3 million.

Upon its introduction a month ago the budget proposed an increase in the school tax rate of 7.74 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Jackson's current school tax rate is about $2.27 per $100 of assessed valuation, so with the full proposed increase in place, the tax rate would have risen to slightly more than $2.34 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The revised lower tax levy proposes an increase in the school tax rate of 5.34 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. With the full proposed increase in place, the tax rate will rise to $2.32 per $100 of assessed valuation.

With a tax rate of $2.32 in place, the owner of a home assessed at $150,000 would see his school tax rise from about $3,405 in 2007-08 to about $3,480 in 2008-09.

The owner of a home assessed at $250,000 would see his school tax rise from about $5,675 in 2007-08 to about $5,800 in 2008-09. The owner of a home assessed at $350,000 would see his school tax rise from about $7,945 in 2007-08 to about $8,120 in 2008-09.

School taxes are one part of the overall property tax bill. The property tax bill also includes municipal taxes and Ocean County taxes.

The Jackson School District will receive $52 million in state aid for 2008-09, an increase of $1.7 million from 2007-08.

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Gialanella said the budget aims to protect class size, maintain programs, add a 12th-grade curriculum to Jackson Liberty High School, add 35 new courses and make curriculum updates.

Administrators are hoping to turn around recent history that has seen voters reject the budget for the past seven years. When that occurs, the budget must be reviewed by the Township Council, which has the option to recommend cuts in the spending plan.

Administrators said the history of budget defeats by Jackson voters has had a long-term negative effect on school programming for children.

Administrators noted that enrollment has increased from 8,266 students in 2000 to 9,862 students in 2007, a 19.3 percent increase.

The 2008-09 budget was developed in accordance with changes in state law that limit spending, the size of the tax levy and surplus amounts, the superintendent said.

"Under the state formula, Jackson is not considered to be a high-spending district," Gialanella said. "But we are receiving only a 2 percent increase in state aid for 2008-09 and the new formula does nothing to rectify the years that [the district's state aid] was underfunded or frozen."

Gialanella noted that fuel costs, tuition for students being sent to out-of-district schools and insurance have also increased. He said the budget will provide for additional staffing at Jackson Liberty, where a senior class will be in place for the first time.

Additional teaching assignments are needed at Jackson Memorial High School to accommodate a large freshman class, administrators said. Needed at Jackson Liberty are seven subject-area teachers, one assistant principal, one guidance counselor and one additional nurse, bringing the total to two nurses.

Staffing for the preschool special education program and the speech program is also needed. The estimated cost for this is $844,961, the superintendent said.

"Please be assured that our proposal represents our best plans to provide the best education to all of our students, while being responsible to the taxpayers of Jackson," Gialanella said.

The board initially considered placing two additional budget questions on the ballot, but eventually decided to place one extra question on the ballot.

The regular budget includes funds to return all elementary schools to a 9:05 a.m. starting time (i.e., to the 2006-07 start times) and add a 5:05 p.m. late bus at both high schools. Administrators said this plan is contingent on the budget's passage by voters.

In the separate ballot question that the board agreed to place on the ballot, voters will be asked to approve an additional tax levy of $226,142 to rehire assistant coaches at both middle schools and high schools in a variety of sports activities. It would also hire instructors and advisers for a variety of activities. The estimated cost of this plan to the owner of a home assessed at the township average is $5.70 per year.

The separate ballot question must be approved by 60 percent of the voters who go to the polls on April 15 in order to pass.

During the public hearing, resident Kevin Quattrock said, "The budget doesn't look that bad this year. I hope that everybody here passes the budget."

Quattrock asked the board to place the funding that would allow the elementary schools to return to a 9:05 a.m. start time in the regular budget, which the board subsequently voted 4-2 to do. Voting no on that issue were board members Martin Spielman and Linda Lackay.

If the proposed $64 million tax levy is defeated by residents on April 15, cuts could come to staff, curriculum, sports programs, extracurricular activities, staff development, electives, courtesy busing and capital improvements, Gialanella said.