Funding Cuts to Fairfield School District

April 2, 2010

Just as Passaic River floodwaters that marooned the grades K-3 Stevenson School building slowly began to recede Thursday, March 18, the state cut most financial aid to the grades K-6 school district, hacking $525,000 from formula state aid for the next school year.

School Business Administrator William Stepka talked about the 98 percent cutback in state aid on the same evening the school board approved the tentative 2010-11 school budget.

The Essex County schools superintendent needed to re ceive the budget for review by the Monday, March 22 deadline.

Stepka called the aid reduction “draconian” and said it leaves the district with about $13,000 in state aid for the 2010-11 school year.

The four board members present voted unanimously to endorse the tentative budget, which, if the county schools superintendent approves, will ask voters on Tuesday, April 20 to support a 4 percent hike in the school portion of the property tax levy, the maximum tax levy increase the state allows.

The effect on the tax rate was not immediately available.  Board member Paul Cafone could not attend the meeting.

The total tentative budget would amount to $11,749,226. It is composed of $11,476,362 for the general fund which includes $1,095,120 for Stevenson roof replacement from the Capital Reserve Account; $131,304 for Special Projects; and $141,560 for Debt Service.

The board will ask voters to approve a $9,835,153 tax levy to support the General Fund.

Due to the brief period between learning of the state aid cut and the deadline for sending the tentative budget to the county, Stepka said he did not have information compiled regarding what degree the 4 percent tax levy increase would boost the school portion of the property tax rate per $100 of assessed value.

That information will be available during the public hearing on the budget, he said, which was held last night, Wednesday, March 31.