1. The Harding Township School will receive zero state aid for the next school year. Therefore, the full responsibility of the operating budget is placed on the Harding Township Residents. Meanwhile, state and county officials continue to place unfunded mandates on our school district.
2. The proposed budget calls for the lowest tax levy increase in over TEN YEARS.
This levy increase is one of the LOWEST in Morris County, as many districts are proposing levy increases over 8%.3. Every year the Harding Township School District examines all expenditures and continues to employ fiscal responsibility. Last year, the district saved $146,067 to help our taxpayers offset the levy increase for the 2010-2011 school year. As a result of this fiscal prudence, the district received a decrease in state aid equivalent to the amount in excess surplus. The Board of Education is still committed to returning the money to offset the levy even though Commissioner Schundler has given the district the autonomy to spend it. This is evidence of the Board’s commitment towards fiscal prudence. As a result of this commitment and the reduction in state aid, we have been forced to make many cuts, which total more than 7% of the originally proposed budget. These cuts include our elementary world language program, summer KickStart program, computers for the media center and the wellness program for teachers. The district considered several other cuts including our sports program. We have worked diligently this year to implement cost savings and change the way we do business, and many shared-services have been implemented with the township. The district has aggressively pursued educational grants and private funds to offset taxes!
The taxpayers in Harding can be assured that the district will continue to deliver the best education with utmost fiscal responsibility. In March 2010 the district received notification indicating a “highly performing” status as a result of the state monitoring process. This is the highest rating given to school districts.
I look forward to your feedback, questions and concerns! You can also find updated information on our school website at http://www.hardingtwp.org.
9 comments:
I read the newspaper this weekend and saw that some districts are going above 8%. I'm happy to hear that you are only going up 2.69%. Harding was one of the lowest. Great job!
We have great teachers and excellent administrators! You have my vote and I will be calling everyone I know.
It's truly shocking that the budget didn't pass. Now what?
Too bad the budget did not pass, I don't think a lot of parents voted. I did not see many at the polls after school. Maybe earlier polling times would be better, say 9-6:00 p.m.? I think the PTA or foundation should have put together an information flyer to let parents know what was at stake if the budget did not pass. Especially with all the negative rhetoric from the Governor's office about voting budgets down if teacher's did not accept a wage freeze. The tax rate is so low and I am upset it did not pass.
HTS parent
$50 are you kidding me? Why didn't it pass? Now, it hurts our kids... UNREAL!!!
The results are NO reflection on how well you and the Board prepared... GREAT job. Sorry that our taxpayers were fooled by the Governor!
Previous poster-It wasn't $50 or the 2.69 that caused the budget to fail. While I did vote yes, many voted no because of the overall situation where other sectors are laying off and taking wage cuts-here in town even. These voters may not understand why the teachers cannot share a portion of the pain and accept a one year wage freeze and contribute to health benefits. That coupled with property taxes is why the budget was defeated, despite the low increase. Our overall turnout was also low-around 16%. People need to get out and vote
Thanks for your feedback... I will include a new blog post with information regarding the defeated budget process. I appreciate all of your support!!!
Teachers have a year left in a 3 year contract and, despite what many may think, the salaries in HTS are the second lowest in Morris County, just ahead of Dover.
Teachers will be required to pay 1.5% of their base salaries towards health insurance starting in the fall. Taking a wage freeze with so little notice would have had a significantly negative impact on many teachers' abilities to make ends meet, having almost no notice and no time to prepare.
The superintendent and board had very little time to make adjustments to an already lean budget. What Governor Christie is doing to public education is unconscienable. That is, in my opinion, where the responsibility for this debacle belongs. It is a travesty, particularly in light of a $51 increase on a $1mm home.
People rest on their laurels thinking all is well and it came back to bite us. Now we all want to know what to do and it's too late. The opportunity to be heard was on April 20th.
What a shame.
i strongly believe that harding township school can not have sports taken away. harding holds records, and still need to make new records.
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