Board of Ed Talks Budget

Madison Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Richard Noonan presented a slideshow at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting showing how the board is breaking down the budget process in what is expected to be a very tough year for schools in New Jersey.

The finance committee is looking at different scenarios based on what decisions Gov. Chris Christie will make and deliver in his budget proposal on March 16. Christie said previously that districts should prepare for a 15 percent cut in state funding.

In the "best case scenario" Noonan presented to attendees and the board, the state would not reduce the 4 percent allowable tax levy, but would cut aid by the 15 percent. Noonan said that those numbers put the district at a $530,490 shortfall, and that's without adding programs or sections.

Noonan broke those numbers down by equating them to the amount of teachers that would be lost if cuts solely came from those positions. In the "best case" scenario, he said that would mean nine or 10 teachers. However, he repeatedly said he's not suggesting cutting that amount of teachers, and that cuts would come as evenly across the board as possible.

The presented "worst case scenario" was a reductions in the tax levy to 3 percent with the 15 percent reduction in aid. In that case, Noonan said the shortfall would be $839,472. Noonan said that would equate to 14 teaching positions if the cuts only came from staffing.

"Our philosophy over the last 3 or 4 years is to look for a contribution from everyone," Noonan said. "We're not going to pick on anyone. … We have not singled out teaching positions for reductions. That hasn't been our history. But it's on the list."

Also listed as reductions under consideration were administrative positions, extra-curricular costs, summer positions, utilities, special education program costs (bringing children back into the district that have been educated elsewhere), and maintenance projects. Noonan said everything is being looked at closely to find the best way to save money.

"If we have to make cuts, what is the priority order in which we should do that?" Noonan said. "We're also looking at additions ... we'd like to support those, but we're tyring to be more discriminant on that this year"

Noonan also said the finance committee and board are looking at a maximum use of its stimulus funds to help offset the budget shortfall. He also said a "zero program growth" guideline was given to administrators back in December, and a spending freeze was announced on Jan. 1.

Though the possibility of the state offering more funding than expected was brought up by the public, Vice President Patrick Rowe was quick to point out the budget realities in government at the state and national level.

"It's hard to believe a miracle will happen," Rowe said. "The only thing that could happen is what happened last year with the stimulus package. That is not going to happen with this sort of jobs bill through congress. So we're bracing for 15 percent (reduction of aid) or more."

Rowe also said, since such a small percentage of the district's money actually comes from state funding at this point, the reduction won't be as big of a hit to Madison as it will be to other state districts.

Another thing that could eventually play into the budget is the Teacher Association's contract, which expires on June 30. When asked by a member of the public if the board is looking at negotiations in the long term–as next school year is expected to be another tough budget–Noonan said, "the Board of Education is not looking at teacher negotiations in a short view, but a long view."

Also communicated at the meeting was that Madison spends about the state average per student as other "I" districts (a grouping by the state of similar districts based on the socioeconomic status within their communities).

The next steps for the budget process will come in prioritizing the budget cuts, finding out what Christie will officially present in his budget proposal, and then presenting the budget on March 22 to the public. That meeting is a regular BOE meeting, but has been moved back from the usual Tuesday to Monday to give the state the information it wants by the date it is required.

The vote will come on Friday night, March 26 at 7 p.m. at the Madison High School library. In between, there will be a session on March 25 for parents to see the ins-and-outs of the budget before the budget hearing.

Editor's note - The entire group of slides presented by Dr. Richard Noonan is attached to this article in the photo gallery.