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P.O. Box 909 ● |
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NEWS RELEASE
TRENTON, April 14, 2009—The
poor economy and state restrictions on school finances appear to be having an
effect on the number of additional school-funding questions, or “second
ballot questions,” that will go before voters in this month’s Annual School
Election, the New Jersey School Boards Association reported today. Out of 548
school budget elections on April 21, only 11 school boards will present voters
with second ballot questions to exceed their proposed base budgets – the
lowest number ever.
Typically, about
70 to 100 school boards ask voters to approve a second ballot question, which
seek spending for specific projects or staffing positions beyond the school
district’s proposed base budget. However, a law requiring a 60-percent supermajority
of participating voters to approve second ballot questions makes the option
far less viable. Only 28 school boards proposed second questions in 2008, the
year the law went into effect. This year, the number of second questions has dwindled
to 11. The 11 districts
that have general-fund second ballot questions include Longport
(Atlantic); Lyndhurst (Bergen); Kingsway Regional and Monroe Township
(Gloucester); South Amboy (Middlesex); Denville, Long Hill Township and Mount
Olive Township (Morris); Ringwood (Passaic); Ogdensburg (Sussex); and Oxford
(Warren). During the Annual
School Election on April 21, voters in 548 school districts will elect school
board members and decide whether to approve their school district’s base
budget to cover operating expenses for the year. The school board’s base
budget must remain within a state-imposed 4-percent property tax cap. Second questions give voters the opportunity
to approve spending that exceeds the cap, but which the community might find
important. When voters approve a second question, they are deciding to spend local funds on certain programs or services for their schools. Second ballot
questions have been used to fund teaching positions that maintain class size;
expand to full-day kindergarten; pay for aides and counselors; implement
security measures; maintain or expand extracurricular and enrichment
programs; repair leaking roofs or aging boilers; and strengthen school arts
and music programs. For 2009, many of
the ballot questions seek to retain existing teaching positions, staff and other
programs – rather than expand or establish new programs. Base budgets and
second questions The same state
law that established a 4-percent cap on local school property tax levy
increases in base budgets also requires a 60-percent supermajority of voters
to approve school districts’ second ballot proposals to exceed that levy cap.
No other public question in Other questions The Annual School
Election also serves as one of five dates during the year when school boards
can place construction bond referendums on the ballot. On April 21, voters in
19 districts will decide proposed school construction questions. Unlike
second questions, bond referendums require only approval by a simple majority
of voters. School districts
may also propose organizational changes to voters during the Annual School
Election. Voters in the Rejected budget
and second-ballot questions If voters reject the base budget, the
proposal is sent to the municipal governing body for review. Generally, the
municipality may make cuts or leave the budget intact. Current law provides a
process for a school board to apply to the commissioner of education for
restoration of a municipality’s cuts to a defeated base budget, if the cuts
would prevent the school district from providing an adequate education or if
it would undermine the district’s financial stability. No district filed such
an appeal last year. If voters reject
a second ballot finance question, however, the issue does not go to the
municipal governing body for review and there is no appeal; the voters’ word is
final. Unless there is outside funding, the specific program or staffing proposed
by the second question is lost for the year and the school board cannot
transfer funds within the budget to retain the program or position. Summary of Additional Ballot Finance Questions (“Second
Ballot Questions”) Voters in 11 school districts will act on 11 second ballot questions asking
for spending that would exceed to the state-imposed 4-percent cap on the tax
levy. Staffing:
Retain classroom teachers: 2 questions Retain
art teachers: 2 questions Other staff (nurses, maintenance,
supervisors, secretaries, librarians): 7 questions Programs and services:
Athletic programs: 3 questions
Busing: 2 questions
Computers and technology equipment: 1 question
Full-day kindergarten or pre-school: 2 questions
Extracurricular activities (clubs, after-school programs, etc.): 1 question Facilities/equipment: Renovations (boilers, lavatories):
2 questions (Note: The numbers add up to more than the total number of second questions,
11, because many second-ballot questions address more than one expenditure
area.) Source: April 21, 2009 ALL BALLOT
PROPOSALS
Longport (Atlantic);
Lyndhurst (Bergen); Kingsway Regional and Monroe Township (Gloucester); South
Amboy (Middlesex); Denville, Long Hill Township and Mount Olive Township
(Morris); Ringwood (Passaic); Ogdensburg (Sussex); and Oxford (Warren) Number of
additional ballot questions, 1997-2008: 2008: 33 2002: 99 2007: 87 2001: 91 2006: 72 2000: 100 2005: 73 1999:
92 2004: 75 1998: 104 2003: 89 1997: 176 ·
Other ballot proposals (not related to
school operating budget) o
Construction bond referendums: 19 districts o
Change in board composition: 2 districts asking to approve a
change from a 9-member to 7-member board (Magnolia in o
Funding: 1
district asking to change apportionment costs (Central Regional in 1 district asking to withdraw funds from capital
reserve (Estell Manor
in ******** The New Jersey School Boards
Association, a federation of district boards of education, advocates the
interests of school districts, trains local school board members, and
provides resources for the advancement of public education. ### |
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