The Board of Education adjusted the 2013–2014 school year budget from $67.6 million to $66.9 million, shrinking the per-year tax increase by $70.
Residents with an average assessed home of $445,716 will now pay $6,743 in school taxes, which represents a $30.78 annual increase.
According to business administrator Lynn Shugars, the board had a few concerns going into budget discussions. She said after seeing no tax increase for the past two years, the board took into consideration the taxpayers would pay 1.61 percent more.
Although the slight increase is well below the 2 percent cap, the change also brought concerned teachers to the April 17 meeting.
According to Moorestown Education Association president Lisa Trapani, proper notification was not given to the public regarding the change and its effect on the schools.
“The impact of it couldn’t be fully researched, so people who came to the budget forums and read what was printed were in the full belief that this was the budget that was going forward,” Trapani said.
Board president Don Mishler said board members went through the proper steps before finalizing the budget, but felt changes must be made before final submission.
“A majority of the board members thought the budget should have been at a different level than what was previously presented,” he said, adding the budget was subject to change.
Shugars said the change includes adjustments to miscellaneous revenue projections such as that for the kindergarten pilot program.
Miscellaneous revenues were decreased by $50,000 to $483,000 from the previously proposed budget. Overall, revenues increased by $554,204, or .83 percent from last year.
A change was also made to employee salaries, excluding general administration, business/personnel and district technology. Total budgeted salaries have been decreased from the original budget by $411,647. Salaries would see an increase of $585,097 from 2012–2013.
Another concern sparked at the meeting was future funding for the schools.
Trapani said “measuring up” to other schools is reflected in various ways. If there is a decrease in generated revenues, funding for education would be limited.
South Valley Elementary School teacher B.J. Lemaire said this budget would “tie the hands” of all future board of education members when it comes to finding ways to generate money.
“The less the board is budgeting, the less that we will have each year going forward,” she said, explaining other school districts such as Haddonfield increased their budget by 1.91 percent while Cherry Hill and Delran budgeted to cap.
She said it should not be in the best interest of the board to decrease educational funding for future Moorestown students.
When board members looked at the budget before the change, Shugars said they reviewed how adjustments could be made without having an extreme impact on one particular category.
She said their concerns are understandable and they are “looking out for their best interests and what it means for them in terms of salaries and resources.”
To view a copy of the 2013–2014 school year budget and past budgets, visit www.mtps.com.
