Moorestown Township Public Schools had a special board of education meeting on Tuesday, March 8 where business administrator Lynn Shugars and interim superintendent Carole Butler gave an update on the proposed budget for the 2016–2017 school year. It is predicted expenditures for the 2016–2017 school year will total around $68 million with a potential tax impact for the average assessed home at $446,500 increasing $208.62 per year.
In February, a budget presentation was made to the board predicting a deficit for MTPS ranging from $2.8 million to $919,769, depending on tax levy and banked cap used. In this presentation, after receiving state aid numbers, predicted health benefits costs and moving some figures around, there is no deficit predicted for the 2016–2017 school year.
For 2016–2017, expenditures proposed a total around $68 million, which is a 3.67 percent increase over the 2015–2016 school year.
The total tax levy is $65.2 million, which is a 2.93 percent increase over 2015–2016. The 2.93 percent is with the use of a 2 percent tax levy at $1.17 million; the Spending Growth Limitation Adjustment, which allows expansion of the 2 percent cap for health-care costs, at $536,177; banked cap at $266,578 from the 2013–2014 school year; and a reduction of $116,875 from the Debt Service Fund.
The 2013–2014 school year has a banked cap totaling $742,894. After that, there is no banked cap available for MTPS’s use.
The potential tax impact for the average assessed home at $446,500 would result in an increase of $208.62 per year.
Employee salaries make up a majority of the expenditures totaling $41.5 million. The rest of the budget is made up of employee benefits and other expenses, with benefits for the 2016–2017 year predicted at a 6.5 percent increase.
The proposed budget supports the maintenance of current programs and extracurricular offerings. Some additions include enhanced academic course offerings at the high school and middle school, requiring no new staff; completion of the 1:1 technology plan for grades six to 12; implementation of Next Generation Science Standards for grades six to 12; initial implementation of strategic plan goals; and upgrade of robotic program. Staffing additions include requests for 2.5 special education teachers, two technology specialists, a special projects manager and a development manager.
Reductions to staff include a part-time pre-K teacher, two sixth-grade teachers and two seventh-grade teachers. The reason for these reductions is declining enrollment.
According to Shugars, in 2012 regular student enrollment was at 3,592, and in 2015 it went down to 3,343. However, the special education student enrollment has had an increase from 477 in 2012 to 567 in 2015. Because of the increase in special education students, special education teachers were requested.
Revenues outside of the tax levy include budgeted fund balance, state aid and miscellaneous revenues. The budgeted fund balance is $1.5 million. State aid for MTPS the 2016–2017 year is $3.78 million, which is $81,345 more than last year.
To help gain more revenue for the school, revenue generation ideas were created for the 2016–2017 budget. Those ideas included in the budget are extended day programs, accepting tuition students, expansion of the Academy of Excellence and Summer Enrichment programs, and development projects. Projections of those revenues are $661,639.
Board members and teachers expressed that they believed the $516,316 remaining in banked cap could be used in the budget. Shugars and Butler said to use the money, there must be a reason; they cannot just include the money in the budget. Teachers who spoke during public comment asked that some of the banked cap be used to bring back programs that were cut and not brought back in previous years.
The presentation of the budget can be found at the MTPS website at www.mtps.com.
The initial submission for the budget is March 22. A public hearing will be held between April 25 and May 9. Changes can be made between the initial submission of the budget and the public hearing.
It was planned that the BOE will approve the proposed budget at the March 15 BOE meeting for the March 22 submission deadline.
