Sunday, April 15, 2007
School Budget Woes ….
It’s that time of year again …. Daffodils are in bloom, the fruit trees have been pruned, and another school budget vote is looming on April 17th.
Some of you may know: Lisa and I were very involved with getting the word out about the vote last year. This year … not so much …. as a matter of fact … not at all.
I guess it was the overwhelming feeling of not really accomplishing anything last year. We were very successful and getting the budget passed … but it seemed like a hollow victory.
For those that don’t know the school budget process in New Jersey:
The local school board constructs the budget and submits it to a vote by the residents of the township. First off, in how many other facets of government do you get to vote on a component of your tax dollars??? My feeling is if the population at large can vote on my child’s education … I should be able to vote on the Pentagon’s budget.
Second, the budget the school board submits is constrained by a mandatory state cap which is tied to the consumer price index. So even if the school board wanted to submit a larger budget … say to increase some activities … they couldn’t. Even if the voters were in favor of it. To compound maters even further, there are expenses beyond the control of the administration that can and have grown well beyond the typical State imposed 4% cap; for example, teachers salaries (they’re unionized don’t forget), energy cost (have been sky rocketing), and more special education children moving into the district. More times than not other line items are cut (classroom supplies, text books, art shows, and spring plays) to fit these items in under the cap.
Third, if the budget fails to pass the issue is sent to the township committee (the local governing body) where they must vote on it. Some years the committee will make a “token cut” to appease the voters, but more than likely since the budget is so lean to start with it is simply approved after a thorough audit.
The budget victory last year which we worked so hard for served only to lighten the work load of the school board and the township committee.
So, I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how hard I work, and how many budgets get passed I’m not improving the quality of my children’s education at all. I'd much rather spend the time meeting with their teachers or helping them with their homework.
Some things need to change, here are my suggestions:
School budgets should be FREE from any CAPS and they should not be voted on by the residents of the township. The municipal government should be responsible for funding the school budget in concert with the school board. The school board should create the budget and submit it to the municipal government for approval. The municipal government should give it thumbs up or down based on the needs of the school district and the fiscal health of the township. If the tax payers are not happy with how their tax dollars are being spent they can express it at the ballot box when the members of the municipal government come up for election. Since the school budget is the largest component of local tax revenue having a separate school budget vote serves to shield the local government from any fiscal responsibility thereby providing political cover.
The election for school board should be held at the same time as the general election in November. Having an “off-cycle” election makes it vulnerable to a non-representative result due to poor voter turn out. The cost for the off cycle election is also borne by the school district.
This would all need to be changed at the State level. If you happen to have any friends in the State legislature give them a call and have them read this.
If nothing changes the state of education in New Jersey will be will never improve.
#posted by Rob Roschewsk @ 3:39 PM