School leaders around N.J. wait and worry over state aid figures

By Ryan Hutchins/For The Star-Ledger
February 07, 2010, 6:25AM

Facing uncertainty over how much state aid will be available for public schools, districts around New Jersey are anxiously waiting for word from the state and preparing to taking a hard look at their budgets with an eye toward cuts.
 
Some districts are already considering worst-case scenarios. In Woodbridge, in Middlesex County, the idea of closing a small elementary school had been considered, but school leaders said layoffs would probably occur instead if there are significant reductions in state aid.
 
“We cut so dramatically last year, there is no where else to cut. We’re looking at programs and jobs,” said Superintendent John Crowe.
 
Federal stimulus money helped keep schools afloat during this fiscal year, but as it runs out and as Gov. Chris Christie recently announced he faces a larger than-expected state deficit, school officials are apprehensive.
 
“There’s no uncertainty there’s going to be a cut in state aid. There’s an uncertainty about how much,” said Jim O’Neill, president of the Morris County Association of School Administrators and superintendent for the School District of the Chathams.
“The prevalent rumor is there’s going to be a 10 percent cut in state aid,” he added.

With no definitive numbers coming from the state just yet, Patrick Piegari, the state’s Middlesex County executive superintendent, has told districts there to consider reductions in state aid that may be as deep as 10 percent, and a reduced cap on tax increases.
 
“We have no official guidelines from the state, but we are encouraging districts to look at scenarios that would be lower caps, as well as less state aid than they’ve received in the past,” he said.
 
On Thursday, Christie plans to address both houses of the legislature to detail how he plans to close a $2.17 billion deficit in the current fiscal year, and school officials are waiting to see if he addresses school funding.
 
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak, saying he realized there was a lot of “uncertainty” surrounding school funding, said details about the state aid may be released in coming days.
 
Kathryn Forsyth, Department of Education spokeswoman, also said to expect some news this week.

“While we fully understand the concerns expressed by the districts, state aid decisions are part of the budget development process and we have no additional information to provide at this time,” she said Friday.
 
In Somerset County Friday, county executive Superintendent Trudy Doyle, said the topic of state funding was discussed at a superintendents’ roundtable, and school leaders said they were struggling with budget issues.
 
“In general I think everyone’s looking at reductions in terms of staff, and maybe also in other services,” Doyle said. “Everyone’s having those conversations in preparations for what’s going to happen.”
 
In Linden, Superintendent Rocco G. Tomazic said he was “very concerned” about the impact of reduced state aid on his district, and doesn’t know where he could find places to cut. “Seventy-five percent of my expenses are salary and benefits,” he said.
 
Because of a cap on tax levies, Tomazic said, “You’re already limited on what your revenues can be.”
 
Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said school officials are concerned about everything from being forced to dip into their surplus funds to seeing the cap lowered on tax increases.
 
“There’s a lot of question marks, no answers,” said Belluscio. “And when you have a void like that, people start to fill in the gaps.”