Monroe Township Board of Education aims to erase deficit
Budget plans were the main talking point at the latest Monroe Township Board of Education meeting.
In previous meetings the board discussed using a 2 percent tax levy in an effort to even the budget. At Thursday’s meeting Superintendent Richard Perry confirmed a plan to use the levy.
The 2 percent increase on the average house valued at $203,000 will increase the school taxes $77 over the course of one year.
“We found out after the governor gave his address, we were not only able to fill the deficit going into next year’s budget but we came out an additional $1.9 million over what we needed to fill from the original presentation,” Perry said. “In addition, we received an additional $1.9 million in state aid. If we stay still with a 2 percent increase in taxes we’ll have $1.9 million in revenue to put toward expenditures.”
Perry then showed two pie charts to break down the district’s budget.
The first chart showed where the funds for the budget come from. Coming in at 53.2 percent is taxes, 40.84 percent of the budget is state aid, 5.09 percent of the budget is the fund balance, .69 percent of the budget is listed as “other local revenue” and the last bit is federal aid which makes up .18 percent of the budget.
The second chart showed where the money goes. The majority of money, 39.83 percent of the budget, goes to funding teachers and staff in the form of salaries, 16.77 percent goes to benefits, special education receives 9.53 percent of the budget, transportation receives 8.93 percent, 8.38 percent goes to plant services, 8.04 percent goes to programs, tuition accounts for 5.44 percent of the budget, capital outlay is 2.19 percent while extracurriculars and the capital reserve account for .53 percent and .36 percent respectively.
Some of the programs Perry looks to suggest are an American Reading Company program for grades kindergarten through eight; a robotics program for the middle and high school; a summer intervention program for the elementary schools; the world of difference anti-bias program for the district; Challenge Day for the middle school; supportive cultural programs for the high school; character education programs for the middle school and the Crisis Go program for the district.
Additional revenue will also be streamed into the capital reserve and capital outlay accounts to replenish some of the money removed for the Holly Glen mold remediation. The board intends to create a maintenance reserve account as well with the intention to use those funds for possible maintenance in the future.
The board passed a vote to submit the proposed budget to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools. Residents wishing to speak on the proposed budget are welcome to come to the next council meeting on April 11 at 7 p.m. at Williamstown High School. However, according to the website, the public hearing is scheduled for May 2 at 7 p.m. at the same location.
In other news:
- At a previous board of education meeting board Vice President Jeff Simpler motioned for the board to donate $8,500 to purchase jackets for the high school football team. At the latest meeting, he rescinded his motion because money was donated by a private party.
- The board’s new attorney, Sanu Dev, from Capehart Scatchard, was introduced to the public.
- Student board of education member Naa’San Carr said students are in the process of starting their own NAACP chapter at Williamstown High School. According to Carr, they need 25 members to start the chapter.
“It’s about civil rights. We’re fighting for civil rights. We don’t want it to be closed to any race or gender, it’s for all,” Carr said.
