Council: School Tax Levy Won't Be Cut

The township council did not order a cut to the school tax levy after reviewing the proposed budget that was defeated by voters. Instead, the council has requested the district reallocate just over $1 million from its operating budget to its capital improvement account.

The amount raised by taxation to support the 2011-12 school budget will remain at $96,506,217, as it was originally proposed, but $1,052,237 of the district’s operating budget will be transferred to its capital improvement budget. That way, Council President Brian DeLuca said, the district will receive about $700,000 in Regular Operating District, or ROD, grants from the state to help fund improvement projects in the township’s schools. The overall budget will cost the average Brick homeowner about $55 extra on the school portion of their tax bill this year.

“We’re going to put the money into the schools,” DeLuca said. “The taxpayer is going to see relief because these projects were going to be done in years to come, we’re just going to push it up sooner.”

Since the school tax levy was defeated by voters April 27, council members had the option of cutting the levy – which would have forced school officials to cut their budget – but instead they chose to recommend a compromise plan - the reallocation.

It will be up to the Board of Education to determine where the amount to be reallocated will come from, and an answer is expected at the board’s meeting Thursday, according to James Edwards, the school district’s business administrator. Board Vice President John Talty said a number of line items, many related to supplies, will be the areas which will be cut.

DeLuca said he preferred the move to ask the board to reallocate funds rather than take a “token” cut of a few hundred thousands dollars off the tax levy. 

“I think people, no matter how they voted on the school budget, they would tell you the schools are in need of repair,” said Councilman Anthony Matthews, who served on a committee of council members which probed the budget, which also included DeLuca and Councilman Michael Thulen.

A committee of citizens also reviewed the budget, and met with the council committee on several occasions, said Jim Altobello, one of the citizens’ committee members. He praised the “hard work and diligence” of the committee, which was also made up of Karyn Cusanelli, Nick Cusanelli, Vic Fanelli and Steve Kirby, and said committee members recommended cuts to the council that would have “zero net affect on direct student programs.”

The Board of Education is expected to vote to agree on the reallocation at its meeting Thursday, and announce from what areas of the operating budget the money will be reallocated.  That meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Brick Township High School.