Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
CITIZENS’ REQUEST
TO: SOMERVILLE BOARD OF EDUCATION, presented at the Public Hearing on the 2014-15 School Budget, April 29, 2014
*************
We the undersigned, respectfully request that the board
ABANDON $1.3 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET INCREASE; and SET 2014-15 DISTRICT SCHOOL TAX RATE TO 1.800 OR LESS.
A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR SOMERVILLE CITIZENS IS LONG OVERDUE. RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN A 75% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, and DO NOT SUPPORT ANOTHER INCREASE. WE DO NOT SUPPORT ANY INCREASE IN THE 2014-15 SCHOOL BUDGET. WE NEED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
Somerville’s 2013-14 District School Tax Rate of 1.867 is the highest in Somerset County. The new proposed tax rate is higher and will continue that high rank. Our effective tax rate ranks among the highest in Somerset county, and in the state. The bulk of our tax payment goes to our school district. We believe that the quality of our children's education can be maintained WITHOUT RAISING the school budget by $1.3 million dollars, or by raising the school tax rate. This is a link to all of the school tax rates in Somerset County: http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/division/taxbd/2013%20Tax%20Rate%20Table%20v4.pdf
The Somerville Board of Education's tentative 2014-15 School Budget proposes a $1.3 million increase in the school budget for next year. That increase means that our PROPERTY TAXES WILL RISE, AGAIN. A copy of the budget can be found at this link: http://www.somervillenjk12.org/cms/lib5/NJ01001815/Centricity/Domain/355/2014-2015%20User%20Friendly%20Budget.pdf
Budget Highlights:
*Total Operating budget up 3% to $40mil
*The Regular Education budget has been cut by 3% ($12 mil, down $377,000)
*Special Education budget has been increased by 9% (to $3.9 mil; up 323,000).
*Guidance increased (up 12%) (up $106K to $1million)
*Bilingual Education increased (up 2%) (up $8K to $334,000)
*Basic Skills increased (up 87% to $37,000)
*Other Support Services (up 58% to $132,000)
*Extracurricular Activities (up 8% to $249,000)
*Athletics (up 7% to $835K)
*Speech, OT, PT, Related Services (up to $477,000) (up 6%)
*The number of pupils has only increased by 5 pupils
In Somerville we NO LONGER VOTE on our school budget, due to a new state law. (Most school boards in NJ voted to eliminate the public vote on the school budget, including Somerville). Only 38 towns in NJ still afford citizens the right to vote on their school budgets.
A NJ school board can automatically increase a school budget without taxpayer consent if they cap the increase at 2% increase to the total tax levy. Unfortunately this has resulted in “carte blanche” to automatically increase to the 2% cap. We do not want an automatic increase; WE WANT A REDUCTION.
Many other NJ districts have been successful at budget cuts while maintaining superior quality of education. It’s time we do that in Somerville.
The Somerville School board consists of 10 elected members, and has 3 seats coming available in the November election, with a July filing deadline for prospective candidates.
If you are tired of paying high property taxes, please sign this REQUEST and make your voice heard. Thank you for your time and participation.
**PLEASE ATTEND THE BUDGET HEARING**
Tuesday, April 29th at 7pm, 51 W. Cliff St. - at middle school(Admin Bldg conference room)
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8 Comments
Also - Somerville taxpayers should be provided via posting on district website, with a detailed budget comparison report with line items in categories, by school, as they do in many other Somerset county towns.
The Somerville "user friendly" school budget report on the district web site states that the operating budget is $1.3 million above last year's (if you subtract $38,767,442 from $40,071,964). There is no denying that. Regarding the tax levy increase, one page at the beginning of the report states the tax levy will be $20,575,298 (which is $200k above last year's)- but page 11 states the tax levy will be $22,225,708 ($2million above last year's) - this page 11 levy includes debt repayment and adjustments so I am assuming this is the levy that will actually be used. I know what the denominator of the tax rate equation is, and how to calculate the school district tax rate. The denominator is the valuation of the taxable sources (homeowners, businesses, or-"ratables"). The numerator is the school levy -which is determined by starting with the OPERATING BUDGET, and subtracting out the revenues. The fact is, it all starts with the school district's OPERATING BUDGET. A lower operating budget will produce a lower tax rate. We all know Somerville has fewer ratables, but that does not mean we should increase the school budget each year. On the contrary - it means that we should scrutinize our school budget in greater detail. Other Somerset county towns have been successful at reducing school budgets effectively and maintaining high quality. With regard to your reference to other towns not being related here - regarding TRANSPARANCY - do you agree that an itemized line-by-line budget comparison report should be posted on the district web site for taxpayers, complete with personnel budget? Other Somerset towns gladly provide this free on their web sites (Bridgewater, Montgomery, Franklin, Green Brook) to name a few. We should ask the board to make reductions in certain areas AFTER we have been privy to the detailed budget that is owed to the Somerville taxpayers. I have made an OPRA request for the detailed budget including personnel budget by school to be provided to the tax
the petition talks about $1.3M budget increase but the report says the levy is only going up $200k. where's the disconnect? and where's the biggest chunk of the $1.3M coming from and what happens if it's not put in the budget? what's the denominator of the tax rate equation and who/what dictates that and how and why? and how does this relate to surrounding towns? if all this information was gathered the petition would not have been addressed to the BOE. the lack of correlation between all this information and the petitions tone and addressee is why i call it misleading. the fact that the author did not research this information before going public and mentions that it will be read at the meeting on the 29th is why i say he/she should be embarrassed. BOE members, council BOE liaison or the school admin could have explained all this in about 5-10 minutes. all the answers to my questions are a better conversation. im sure we'll be able to find 5 minutes friday to talk.
...and Jim, If there is an error in her post, point it out and I'm sure she'll be happy to correct it. You didn't really point out any errors. You just want her to be ashamed and embarrassed and you want us to know how awesome your credentials are. Let's leave the personal attacks out of it and cut to the chase.
Jim Adamec - Please specifically describe what is misleading about the information provided.
the auithor of this should be embarrassed and ashamed that they went public with such misleading information. i read alot about communication and wonder if the author actually asked any town or BOE official "can you explain these numbers to me" prior to disseminating this. i was finance committee BOE when this budget was first being planned and im currently a candidate for town council. i want lower taxes as much as all of you. thats what i fought for while on BOE and thats what i'll do if elected to council. but this type of (lack of) communication does the town no good. if you want to understand the relationship between these numbers and the taxes obviously ask a BOE member, the council BOE liason or the school administration. or, feel free contacting me. [email protected]
Jim, I'm pretty sure she has her facts straight. Why should we have to ask a BOE member? Shouldn't the tax payers of Somerville have easy access to a detailed accounting of how our money is being spent? Most towns provide this information. This town does not. And try to get the information and you are subjected to personal attacks. Say what you want about Amy, but we're ALL sick of the sky high taxes and lack of transparency. Show us the numbers already.
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
CITIZENS’ REQUEST
TO: SOMERVILLE BOARD OF EDUCATION, presented at the Public Hearing on the 2014-15 School Budget, April 29, 2014
*************
We the undersigned, respectfully request that the board
ABANDON $1.3 MILLION PROPOSED BUDGET INCREASE; and SET 2014-15 DISTRICT SCHOOL TAX RATE TO 1.800 OR LESS.
A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR SOMERVILLE CITIZENS IS LONG OVERDUE. RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN A 75% INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, and DO NOT SUPPORT ANOTHER INCREASE. WE DO NOT SUPPORT ANY INCREASE IN THE 2014-15 SCHOOL BUDGET. WE NEED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
Somerville’s 2013-14 District School Tax Rate of 1.867 is the highest in Somerset County. The new proposed tax rate is higher and will continue that high rank. Our effective tax rate ranks among the highest in Somerset county, and in the state. The bulk of our tax payment goes to our school district. We believe that the quality of our children's education can be maintained WITHOUT RAISING the school budget by $1.3 million dollars, or by raising the school tax rate. This is a link to all of the school tax rates in Somerset County: http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/division/taxbd/2013%20Tax%20Rate%20Table%20v4.pdf
The Somerville Board of Education's tentative 2014-15 School Budget proposes a $1.3 million increase in the school budget for next year. That increase means that our PROPERTY TAXES WILL RISE, AGAIN. A copy of the budget can be found at this link: http://www.somervillenjk12.org/cms/lib5/NJ01001815/Centricity/Domain/355/2014-2015%20User%20Friendly%20Budget.pdf
Budget Highlights:
*Total Operating budget up 3% to $40mil
*The Regular Education budget has been cut by 3% ($12 mil, down $377,000)
*Special Education budget has been increased by 9% (to $3.9 mil; up 323,000).
*Guidance increased (up 12%) (up $106K to $1million)
*Bilingual Education increased (up 2%) (up $8K to $334,000)
*Basic Skills increased (up 87% to $37,000)
*Other Support Services (up 58% to $132,000)
*Extracurricular Activities (up 8% to $249,000)
*Athletics (up 7% to $835K)
*Speech, OT, PT, Related Services (up to $477,000) (up 6%)
*The number of pupils has only increased by 5 pupils
In Somerville we NO LONGER VOTE on our school budget, due to a new state law. (Most school boards in NJ voted to eliminate the public vote on the school budget, including Somerville). Only 38 towns in NJ still afford citizens the right to vote on their school budgets.
A NJ school board can automatically increase a school budget without taxpayer consent if they cap the increase at 2% increase to the total tax levy. Unfortunately this has resulted in “carte blanche” to automatically increase to the 2% cap. We do not want an automatic increase; WE WANT A REDUCTION.
Many other NJ districts have been successful at budget cuts while maintaining superior quality of education. It’s time we do that in Somerville.
The Somerville School board consists of 10 elected members, and has 3 seats coming available in the November election, with a July filing deadline for prospective candidates.
If you are tired of paying high property taxes, please sign this REQUEST and make your voice heard. Thank you for your time and participation.
**PLEASE ATTEND THE BUDGET HEARING**
Tuesday, April 29th at 7pm, 51 W. Cliff St. - at middle school(Admin Bldg conference room)
8 Comments
For the amount we currently pay in taxes, our schools should be performing at a much better level than they are. We pay more than any other surrounding district, and our schools perform at a totally unacceptable level. The only proposed budget cut is to regular education. Support services, therapies, special education and extra curriculars are important, but not at the sacrifice of regular education.
Also - Somerville taxpayers should be provided via posting on district website, with a detailed budget comparison report with line items in categories, by school, as they do in many other Somerset county towns.
The Somerville "user friendly" school budget report on the district web site states that the operating budget is $1.3 million above last year's (if you subtract $38,767,442 from $40,071,964). There is no denying that. Regarding the tax levy increase, one page at the beginning of the report states the tax levy will be $20,575,298 (which is $200k above last year's)- but page 11 states the tax levy will be $22,225,708 ($2million above last year's) - this page 11 levy includes debt repayment and adjustments so I am assuming this is the levy that will actually be used. I know what the denominator of the tax rate equation is, and how to calculate the school district tax rate. The denominator is the valuation of the taxable sources (homeowners, businesses, or-"ratables"). The numerator is the school levy -which is determined by starting with the OPERATING BUDGET, and subtracting out the revenues. The fact is, it all starts with the school district's OPERATING BUDGET. A lower operating budget will produce a lower tax rate. We all know Somerville has fewer ratables, but that does not mean we should increase the school budget each year. On the contrary - it means that we should scrutinize our school budget in greater detail. Other Somerset county towns have been successful at reducing school budgets effectively and maintaining high quality. With regard to your reference to other towns not being related here - regarding TRANSPARANCY - do you agree that an itemized line-by-line budget comparison report should be posted on the district web site for taxpayers, complete with personnel budget? Other Somerset towns gladly provide this free on their web sites (Bridgewater, Montgomery, Franklin, Green Brook) to name a few. We should ask the board to make reductions in certain areas AFTER we have been privy to the detailed budget that is owed to the Somerville taxpayers. I have made an OPRA request for the detailed budget including personnel budget by school to be provided to the tax
the petition talks about $1.3M budget increase but the report says the levy is only going up $200k. where's the disconnect? and where's the biggest chunk of the $1.3M coming from and what happens if it's not put in the budget? what's the denominator of the tax rate equation and who/what dictates that and how and why? and how does this relate to surrounding towns? if all this information was gathered the petition would not have been addressed to the BOE. the lack of correlation between all this information and the petitions tone and addressee is why i call it misleading. the fact that the author did not research this information before going public and mentions that it will be read at the meeting on the 29th is why i say he/she should be embarrassed. BOE members, council BOE liaison or the school admin could have explained all this in about 5-10 minutes. all the answers to my questions are a better conversation. im sure we'll be able to find 5 minutes friday to talk.
...and Jim, If there is an error in her post, point it out and I'm sure she'll be happy to correct it. You didn't really point out any errors. You just want her to be ashamed and embarrassed and you want us to know how awesome your credentials are. Let's leave the personal attacks out of it and cut to the chase.
Jim Adamec - Please specifically describe what is misleading about the information provided.
the auithor of this should be embarrassed and ashamed that they went public with such misleading information. i read alot about communication and wonder if the author actually asked any town or BOE official "can you explain these numbers to me" prior to disseminating this. i was finance committee BOE when this budget was first being planned and im currently a candidate for town council. i want lower taxes as much as all of you. thats what i fought for while on BOE and thats what i'll do if elected to council. but this type of (lack of) communication does the town no good. if you want to understand the relationship between these numbers and the taxes obviously ask a BOE member, the council BOE liason or the school administration. or, feel free contacting me. [email protected]
Jim, I'm pretty sure she has her facts straight. Why should we have to ask a BOE member? Shouldn't the tax payers of Somerville have easy access to a detailed accounting of how our money is being spent? Most towns provide this information. This town does not. And try to get the information and you are subjected to personal attacks. Say what you want about Amy, but we're ALL sick of the sky high taxes and lack of transparency. Show us the numbers already.
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For the amount we currently pay in taxes, our schools should be performing at a much better level than they are. We pay more than any other surrounding district, and our schools perform at a totally unacceptable level. The only proposed budget cut is to regular education. Support services, therapies, special education and extra curriculars are important, but not at the sacrifice of regular education.