School Budget Cuts May Come Tonight

The amount by which the may be cut could be announced at Tuesday night's township council meeting.

According to an agenda released by the township, a discussion on the amount to be raised by taxation - in other words, the tax levy the council must certify - is scheduled for the meeting. A separate agenda, posted by school district officials, includes an acceptance of a  revised tax levy to be discussed at Thursday evening's Board of Education meeting. No specific figures were given on either agenda listing.

Voters defeated the proposed $136 million school spending plan at the polls April 27. The proposed tax levy would have resulted, for the average Brick homeowner, in a per year on the school portion of their property tax bill. Rejected budgets, pursuant to state law, get reviewed by the township governing body, which can elect to make cuts or certify the tax levy as originally proposed. A reduction of the tax levy usually translates into a cut of the school district's operating budget by the same amount.

Council President Brian DeLuca, who previously served as school board president, has said the municipal governing body will recommend a cut since voters rejected the proposed tax levy.

“It wasn't a mandate, but it was defeated,” DeLuca told Brick Patch, of the defeated school referendum. “The taxpayers are expecting us to make some type of cut.”

A committee made up of council members DeLuca, Anthony Matthews and Michael Thulen, along with township Business Administrator Scott Pezarras, were responsible for , along with a citizens' committee made up of Karyn Cusanelli, Nick Cusanelli, Vic Fanelli, Steve Kirby and Jim Altobello.

The governing body will also hold a hearing on and potentially adopt its yearly operating budget at Tuesday's meeting. Voters approved $8.6 million in above-cap spending through a referendum which also appeared on the April 27 school election ballot.

The meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the township municipal complex on Chambers Bridge Road.