E. Hanover School Tax Increase to be Under 2%

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Ricca said the 2013-14 school budget for East Hanover schools will include a tax levy increase "well under the 2 percent cap."

Ricca will present the budget at a public meeting Monday before the public and the Board of Education. "The board and administration worked very, very hard on this budget," Ricca said. "There's a tremendous amount of fiscal responsibility in there."

The guiding principle in crafting the budget was to "tend to the educational needs of our children and ensure they grow up into productive members of our society," Ricca said. "Our number one priority (is) our children."

All existing academic programs are maintained, as are art programs and extracurricular activities. Standards such as Common Core standards, TEACHNJ and ACHIEVENJ are all accounted for in the budget.

Technology services and integration for instructors and mathematics programs will be enhanced, as will school security, something Ricca said many members of the community asked for.

The administration also relied on using halftime personnel where available, entering into more shared services and technology and energy consortia and using large cooperative purchasing agencies, "to get the best bang for our buck," Ricca said.

The budget also takes into consideration a $25,000 pay cut to Ricca's salary, which goes into effect next year. The cut is due to the state-mandated salary cap for superintendents which Gov. Chris Christie and the legislature instituted in 2010.

"We will continue to solicit private donations from corporate partners and go after grant funds" in an effort to keep taxes low, Ricca said.

The administration drew on existing goals and objectives in developing the budget.

Because the increase in the tax levy is under two percent, there will be no election on the budget in November if the board approves the budget as it is currently drafted.

Ricca will present the budget at a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the East Hanover Township School District office.