Slight Tax Hike for 2013-14 School Budget; New Curriculum, Improvements Included
Taxpayers will pay about $24 more per year, on average
Brick Township's Board of Education has proposed a budget for the 2013-14 school year that will rise by 0.9 percent over the current school year.
The board unanimously voted in favor of sending the $147 million spending plan to the county superintendent of schools for approval before final adoption. The budget calls for a total tax levy of $98,525,693, up from $97,160,762 last year.
"We feel it's a responsible budget for the students of Brick Township as well as the taxpayers," said James Edwards, the district's business administrator.
The budget funds a full-day kindergarten program, numerous revamps of district curriculum and technology advances that will allow teachers to track students' progress through their academic careers.
But the main reason for the increase in the budget are two factors that are largely out of the board's control: a higher workman's compensation premium and the obligation of the district to set aside an extra $300,000 to compensate employees for their unused sick time cashouts upon retirement, said board member Larry Reid, who chairs the board's finance committee.
"Our school district has claims for workman's compensation insurance that is 48 percent higher than the average school district," said Reid. "Out of those 330 schools, we have the tenth worst rating," leading to an increase of $670,775 in premiums this year.
As for the increase in the amount set aside for unused sick time payouts: "You can see that it is impacting our budget, and it's unsustainable," said Reid. "It doesn't go on in private industry."
Superintendent Dr. Walter Uszenski said the district is looking at how to tackle the workman's compensation issue.
The unused sick time issue is more of a statewide issue, officials said.
But despite the relatively small budgetary increase, the district will fund its full day kindergarten program as well as $2.2 million in capital improvements, including parking lot repairs and replacements, a new dust collection system at Lake Riviera Middle School, lunch table replacements at Osbornville Elementary School, new exterior siding at Brick Township High School, the refinishing of several gym floors, air conditioning upgrades and new doors for the Brick Memorial High School auditorium.
Also included in the budget are several educational initiatives that will directly benefit students, including the addition of six new advanced placement courses at each high school, 11 new staff members for the kindergarten program, a new K-5 math program, a new K-3 reading program, a K-8 online reading program and a new teacher evaluation system. The district will also have a second athletic director, and will fund PSATs for high school sophomores.
Better technology funded in the budget will also allow teachers to track students' progress from K-8, Uszenski said.
Improvements to the district's security will include additional security cameras and an expansion of the district's intercom system.
Given the improvements, "We are very proud that the budget is less than a percent," said Edwards.
Based on the 2012 tax base, the average Brick homeowner can expect their taxes to rise $8.06 per $100,000 of assessed value. That amounts to about $24 for a homeowners whose property is assessed at $300,000.
Given the reduction in tax base from Sandy, Edwards estimated an additional $0.80 cents per $100,000 in value could be added.
The budget "covers all of our students," said board Vice President John Talty.
"There is nothing being cut or being reduced, and the additions we made are important additions," he said.
JB
5:50 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Nice work!
Looking forward to the new changes and initiatives.
Richard Lau
7:29 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
The Board of Education continues to do an excellent job giving our students and teachers the programs and tools they need to achieve. The results may not be immediate, but in few very short years, we will see a better product, OUR CHILDREN.
Robert Presley
7:32 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
VOTE FOR THE BUDGET AND YOU WILL SEE AN IMPROVEMENT
Daniel Nee
12:00 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
There is no longer a public referendum required if the budget increase is less than 2 percent.
ChiefWahoo
12:51 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Just another stupid idea from the Rhino in Trenton
Fed- up
8:17 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Go take a hard look at classrooms in Brick Schools . They are filthy and outdated and no facts provided on the lead in the water issue . This has to be one of the worst mismanaged districts in NJ !
Blame school employees for getting hurt on the job for the increased tax hike. Or blame the unused sick days that were implemented into the contract for TEACHERS . This was to bribe the teachers to work while sick . Teachers can't take vacations during the school year like the rest of the free world workers. Do the math teachers work till the end of June into July , then back into set up there rooms the 2nd week of August . Wow right !
The school board is voted in by older people who want lower taxes because there children are grown.
type writer
8:57 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Youre kidding, right? "Teachers cant take vacaions during school year like the free world" .Teachers have vacations all through out the school year. Spring break, winter break , every holiday ad teachers conventions, Teachers dont ever go 3 weeks straight without a day off, not counting weekends. Look at a school calender. Sorry pal, 99% of teachrs dont see the inside of a school from the last day of the school year until 2 days before the new school year begins for students.
A Girl
7:06 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
This is actually to type writer. You are not necessarily right about teachers not seeing the inside of a classroom until two days before school. There are teachers in-services during the summer, and most of the teachers I know (admittedly they are all young and on a lower pay scale) tutor or work summer programs. I'm not saying that teachers don't get vacation days during the year due to school holidays, I'm just saying that a lot of teachers do work during the summer months.
pat jurczak
8:41 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Why do we have the 10th worst workmans compensation insurance claims of 330 schools? It's disgraceful. And I thought sick pay was compensation for days of illnes, not payment foir days of being healthy. Wouldn't it be great if your life insurance company paid you year after year for being alive? Great for you, but not the company and those unfortunate to need the insurance. To me these problems and many others are sypmtoms of the same ailment--to much dependence on the nanny state that takes from one and gives to another.
Andy Barcellona
9:00 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
I thiink it is time where senior citizens don't have to pay school tax as South Carolina has adopted. It is time to give seniors a break.
type writer
9:07 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Bravo, I am not a senior yet, but why should anyone have to pay for the poor product coming out of public school system. It is a joke.
Brickresident
9:16 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Then give us your SS check back. K, thanks.
carol jones
11:42 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Amen can't wait to see what happend when all the Sandy appeal, etc hit the fan
Clown Baby
12:10 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Then move to South Carolina.
A Girl
7:19 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
You're kidding me, right? Seniors are just as much a drain on resources as children. How about we take away SS or Medicare? Bet you wouldn't like that! I love how the biggest benefactors of social programs are the first to complain about spending. Go ahead, move to South Carolina. Rated worst schools in the country. I wonder why? I can't believe how selfish people are. I don't have children, but you know what, I care about the future of the community I live in. That's why it doesn't bother me when there are slight increases in school budgets.
Fed- up
9:09 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
The Brick Board of Education and most school districts have implemented the (unused sick day ) to bribe staff not to take off when they are sick sick ! ! !
This was a incentive to not stay home when they are sick and go to school to teach children . The NJEA and the Board of Education are responsible for this practice of bribing staff to work sick .
FD
9:11 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
I never understood anyone getting paid for unused sick time. It's like you're getting paid twice.
If you use a sick day do they take a day's pay away?????
"the obligation of the district to set aside an extra $300,000 to compensate employees for their unused sick time cashouts upon retirement"
Andy Pat
9:16 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Many states do not entirely rely on the property tax to fund public education. Some also use state income tax for funding. This places more of the financial burden on those with the ability to pay. It would give most seniors some relief. I believe public education is a basic ingredient to a well informed functioning democracy. Since no one raised their voice over the last 30 years while public policy allowed income inequality to expand to its greatest degree in almost 100 years, let us now reverse those policies. Here is my new golden rule. Let those with the gold reinvest in America's future (our children).
Bowie Thelonius
9:25 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Brickresident, that was one of the dumbest things ever written. You do understand that Social Security is paid for by the person who ultimately collects it right? It's not welfare, it was something working people had deducted from their paychecks for many years.
Nautigal
12:16 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Uh - no, it's not. It's a Ponzi scheme. What they had deducted paid for a myriad of other things. Seniors' SS is being paid by the people working today. One thing about Ponzi schemes - they ALL have a beginning, a middle, and an END. I'll let you figure out the rest.
I find it a disgrace that after the worst natural disaster in living memory, from which people still haven't recovered, and may NEVER recover, the school board unanimously approved a budget with ANY tax hike whatsoever. What a slap in the face, as if the people of Brick haven't had enough of those over the past five months! Under what circumstances do we NOT get an increase? Does this just go on indefinitely? I say NO MORE!! If you guys can't run the school system for 100 MILLION dollars (plus whatever the State and Fed give us back!!), you're incompetent and you have no business teaching our kids. Done. Preposterous. People living in hotels, camping out at their families, with no heat, facing $30,000 flood premiums and outrageous federal mandates to 'mitigate flood risk', and you figure a tax hike on the community you SERVE is appropriate? Have you no souls?
ChiefWahoo
9:43 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Get the schools off the property tax bill !!!!!!!
Do you have any idea the collapse that is heading your way ?????
Robert Presley
9:48 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
CHIEF WACKO IS BACK!
John
10:00 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Bowie, in actuality it is the working people who directly pay for social security. That means that the money we pay in goes right out to a senior. It's supposed to be like a revolving door. When we hit that age then the working class of that generation pays. That's why everyone is afraid SS will go bankrupt because it used to be 40 working people to support 1 retiree, now it's almost 1 to 1. The group working people that pay taxes is shrinking and that is the real scare
diana man
11:02 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
FIRST OF ALL MY TAX BILL IS UP 10% ,NOT $24.00 ON AVERAGE,THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY IS ALWAYS BEEN A MONEY GRAB,YOU HAVE STARTING FROM THE TOP SUPERINTENDENTS COLLECTING MUCH MORE THAN THE VALUE THEY ADD,THE SCHOOL TAX HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BIGGEST BITE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS WHILE PRODUCING VERY MIXED RESULTS IN THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS,LIKE MOST OF THE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IT IS RUN BY INEPT PEOPLE,
Ed LeFurge
1:04 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
I applaud the BOE and Dr. U for their outstanding efforts to improve this district!!!
brick strong
1:36 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
TAX INCREASES FROM SANDY AND NOW SCHOOL BUDGET WELL ONE WE COULDN'T CONTROL AND THE OTHER ONE IS A NON-SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS ..OR IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO TEACH ANYMORE SO LETS GET HURT AND GO WORKERS COMP FOR A PAID VACATION..MILKING THE SYSTEM..AND THEY CANT TAKE DAYS OFF DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR ??ISN'T THAT WHY THEY HAVE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS..?? WHICH MAY BE BETTER THEN THE REG. ONE ???
brick strong
1:38 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Why can't there be a vacation and sick day cap rather them carrying them over to have a big nest egg when they retire ..Its should use them or lose them ...
A Polymath
2:36 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Retiring teachers in Brick are paid 1 day's salary for every 4 unused sick days. 40 unused sick days = 10 day's pay. This is an incentive to come in to work if the teacher is not severely ill. It benefits the students by maintaining continuity which is often disrupted by introducing a sub. In a lot of cases it also saves money because a sub's pay costs MORE than 1/4 the teacher's regular pay for a day.
FD
3:28 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
I always thought a paycheck was incentive enough to go into work.
All that maintaining continuity which is often disrupted by introducing a sub talk is union babble.
I wonder how many teachers thought of continuity when taking off today to get a early jump on a upcoming vacation week.
country joe
3:41 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Getting paid for unused sick days, what a concept.. getting paid for being out sick is just that.. so you dont loose a days pay.. getting paid for unused sick days as an incentive to come in to work doesnt save any money at all... when a teacher/police/public offical, retires and is paid for unused sick / vacation time.. at what rate are they paid ? the rate of pay when they didnt take the time off or is it more like the rate of pay they are now... thats the rip off.. not taking the days, saves nothing
Rick Mitukiewicz
2:53 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
An increase in workman's compensation premiums of $675K! As stated in the article , Dr. U and the staff need to address this ASAP. This is outrageous. A plan should be put forth immediately.
Katherine Lockwood
2:55 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
This district is in need of many improvements, this is just the start. I applaud this BOE and think the superintendent has a great vision for more improvement. Our system is failing our children, so there is a slight increase in taxes, what isn't increasing? Let's help educate our future so maybe there is a chance one of these brilliant children can save this country!
ChiefWahoo
2:57 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
they may save the country, but they sure will not be able to afford to live in brick
Rick Mitukiewicz
3:04 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
I totally disagree with anyone getting one day's salary for not using 4 sick days. If you are severely sick then stay home. If not live up to your obligation to teach and educate our children.
Watchman
3:31 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
And we really need a second athletic director?And how is this going to benefit all the children?
FD
3:34 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Anyone know what scale sick and vacation days are paid off at retirement.
Example - Teacher saved 100 sick days while making 40K a year, and then another 100 days while making 80K a year.
Do they adjust the payout based on each level the days were taken or is it paid off at the last level to teacher was at?
I'm not sure if I am using the correct term (level) however I am using level to represent yearly pay.
cam
4:02 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Anyone know what the salary of a new Athletic Director will be....probably equal to 2 teacher salaries.
brick strong
6:37 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
wow years ago we had two athletic directors and they had a reduction in force and a very good guy left to go to Clifton ??
type writer
5:31 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Who would like to bet me that all of the new hires, teachers , athletic director and such, all of them, are related to someone with political pull? Anyone care to wager?
Just watching
5:45 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Why is Mr Reid complaining about the teachers sick pay when they retire when they are going to give the superintendent a 25,000 Bonus later this year for a couple easy reachable goals so he can make more then the state cap
brick strong
6:38 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
@just added to his 175,000.00 salary wow great country
Joe
8:22 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Its nickel and dime time again!
Heather
10:43 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I understand that seniors are on a limited budget, but someone had to pay for the seniors to go to school when they were young. And that would be the older generations taxes. And if any seniors ever had children then someone, including themselves paid taxes so their children could go to school. If we want our children to be competitive against other nations then we have to PAY for them to get educated. If you don't want to pay school taxes and SC has a program like that, then move to SC. But it's very selfish to say you don't want to pay to educate kids when you yourself had someone pay for yours.
Mrgrumpass
12:33 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Mr. Vera Fozman could also be on the Board of Ed, I am sure he could find places to cut and save money, god only knows he is saving the MUA single handed!
Dee M Lee
12:59 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Chief Watson....I so agree w/you!! I say it is definitely time to get schools off property taxes!! If its not one thing its another w/these schools!!! Whats next!! Next year they'll probably increase again for God's knows what else! Next thing theyll do is say brick needs bigger schools cuz they just keep packing people in thisntown!!
john
4:45 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
dee m lee.....your post really shows how little you know and how little you care about the schools and childrens education.yes,every year they will increase the budget again...how else are they gonna pay for the increase in the cost of food,water,electric,computers,books, building repairs and anything else that they have to pay for. ( ever hear of the 2% cap). and yes someday they will have to make the schools bigger because there isnt enough room...the schools in brick are in bad shape because of people like you...dont forget...someone had to pay for you to go to school at one time too.
KMC
10:13 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Is the athletic director the same athletic director who worked in the district a few years ago but then left? Now he is coming back and the district is paying him $125,000.00? Why two athletic directors again?