As District Introduces Budget Labor Concerns Vented

At Thursday night's meeting of the Howell Board of Education, Business Administrator Ron Sanasac presented a budget which should provide an average of $23 in tax relief for homeowners in the township. 

The news about lower taxes was not warmly welcomed by everyone as two members of the board voted against it and community members and teachers asked what affect the new budget would have on their ongoing contract negotiations. 

During his presentation Sanasac said the administration had three priorities for the budget including supporting and improving student achievement, providing long term fiscal stability and minimizing the tax impact.

To reach those goals he said the district had to overcome serval challenges including new standards imposed by the state, the addition of full day kindergarten to the district, aging technology and an aging bus fleet. The board has also made improving the district's security a priority including the hiring of a new director of security. 

Sanasac said that one of the ways the finance committee and the board was able to reach its goals was to adopt a long term strategy to continue what he called "prudent fiscal responsibility." By taking steps like refunding the district's current debts and working with the Monmouth County Improvement Authority on leasing equipment he said they were able to accomplish their goals while also helping ease the burdens on their wallets.

The total proposed budget for the upcoming school year came out to $111,129,708 including the general fund, state and federal programs and the district's debt service. From that total $70,998,422 was to be raised through the tax levy. That number is slightly higher than the $70,279,374 that was to be raised from last year's budget. Using the current formulas Sanasac said the total taxes for 2013 for local schools will be $70,638,898.

In his presentation Sanasac said the 2012 tax rate was $1.287 per $100 of assessed value while the 2013 tax rate was $1.279 per 100, a decrease of $.008. An average home last year paid $3,539 in taxes. Sanasac said that number will decrease to $3,516 this year.

Following the presentation the vote by the board was not unanimous as members Al Miller and Jeannette Smith voted against the proposal. For her part Smith said she had hoped to see flat spending from last year and that was one of her goals despite taxes going down. "It is good, but I think it should have gone down by the entire $1 million that we retired in debt."

Superintendent Enid Golden said she was pleased that the finance committee was able to do so much while still lowering taxes for residents. "We're very pleased," she said. Being able to include the full day kindergarten while working to close the achievement gap will help the district going forward she said. "It's a good budget, it's a lot of time and it's creative in terms of helping us reach our goals."

Contract Concerns

During the public comment portion of the meeting several people spoke about the current negotiations between the district and the Howell Township Education Association (HTEA). The process has been ongoing for close to two years and is currently being moderated by a superconciliator.

Tara Nesbahal, a teacher who spoke referred to a "golden carrot," as one of the reasons she decided to teach in the Howell Schools.  In previous contracts Howell Teachers, she said, started at lower salaries than other districts for the first 13 years before an equalizing boost after that. "Howell was going to eventually give me that kind of money so I sacrificed," she said. 

The two sides had tentatively agreed on a contract but that was voted down by members of the teacher's union. While no information has been released by either side about the status of the negotiations or any specifics, Nesbahal said, "The golden carrot was yanked."

Other people who spoke said they were concerned that if the contract was not resolved soon some members of the staff would look for employment elsewhere.

As the head of the labor committee Smith she was limited on what she could say because of a gag order imposed by the superconciliator. She said the two sides are "continuing to work with" the superconciliator. They met on March 16 for 16 hours and are scheduled to mee again on April 15. "The board is hopeful that the two sides will come to a tentative agreement at the April 15 session."

Most of the people in attendance at Thursday's meeting were members of the HTEA. Golden said the process has been "very tough, but added, "I have to give the teachers a lot of credit. They are being very professional and they're doing what they need to be doing for the good of the kids."

The board is scheduled to return to its regular Wednesday meeting time on Wednesday April 3.