It’s “unfamiliar territory” for the Haddonfield Board of Education, as its members are in the advantageous position of discussing what to do with more than a $150,000 windfall in revenue thanks to an increase in state aid.
The board debated giving the money back to the taxpayers for a tax break in 2012–2013 or keeping the school tax levy at a flat rate and using the money for internal one time cost improvements within the district.
New Jersey released its school district state aid figures late Thursday evening, Feb. 23, and Haddonfield found itself with more than a $200,000 increase over the 2011–2012 figure of $637,598. Prior to the budget season starting, Business Administrator Andy Hall said he counted on the governor giving them the same amount as last year.
In his state of the state address, Gov. Chris Christie pledged additional funding to school district for next year. Christie has raised state aid each year since drastically cutting aid to schools two years ago.
Hall said the revenue figures for 2012–2013 sit at a little more than $33.08 million with the added state aid and a zero percent school tax increase. Superintendent Rich Perry reported that even with a number of one time capital and technology improvement costs, the appropriations for 2012–2013 sit at about $22.83 million.
With the additional funding, Perry said the buildings and grounds committee suggested several capital improvements throughout the district, all one time costs that have been put off for years because of budget constraints.
The committee suggested funneling more than $317,000 for these projects into the 2012–2013 budget. The largest ticket item is the repainting of the Haddonfield Memorial High School auditorium, which comes in at about $150,000. There are other scheduled repairs and renovations for all of the schools in the district.
The technology committee also laid out a three-year technology improvement plan for the district, which includes going wireless for the entire district, purchasing classroom cart sets of iPads for grades fourth through eighth, smart boards for grades first through third, and providing multimedia projection systems at all level.
For 2012–2013, the technology committee suggested implementing wireless internet, buying smart boards for grades first through third, and buying iPad carts for grades sixth through eighth. These initiatives come in at about$190,000 to complete, Perry reported.
Including an additional $50,000 for improvements to the library — such as installing new carpet and removing some book stacks — plus adding in $41,000 to adjust for a $6 million decrease in borough ratables, the district still must decided what to do with $161,000 in revenue.
“This is unfamiliar territory, quite frankly, for us to have these options,” BOE President Steve Weinstein said.
Board member Joe Ehrhardt suggested giving a tax break to residents using the money, even if it’s only a modicum amount. It would be a great year to provide some tax relief for Haddonfield residents, he said.
Board vice president Glenn Moramarco suggested using some of the funding to hire a part time or full time kindergarten teacher for Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School, as the classrooms could be quite crowded next year at that grade level, he said.
Weinstein didn’t reject the idea, but strongly suggested that the board not use the funding on any reoccurring costs. The state aid figures fluctuate too much from year to year, he said, and could be cut again in the future.
The board agreed to keep the school tax increase at a flat rate for 2012–2013 and asked Perry to come back to the board next week with suggestions on how to use the additional revenues.
The board will meet this Thursday, March 1, at a special BOE meeting to pass the preliminary budget. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the HMHS library.
