At last night's Middletown Board of Education meeting, the school board approved a $144 million dollar spending plan for fY 2011-2012, that will be presented to voters on April 27th.
According to the
Asbury Park Press's article, the spending plan seems reasonable and I see no reason for voters to reject it. The budget will increase by 1.38% which is well below Governor Christie's 2% cap on budget spending.
This budget will provide for the hiring of additional teachers this year, which will help to alleviate classroom overcrowding in a few of the districts school.
I was not at last night's meeting but from what I was told, a few who were in attendance questioned the leanness of the budget and whether or not the school board left enough wiggle room within it in case it was rejected by voters, as it was last year.
I was told that the response to this questions was that the budget was purposely put together lean in an attempt to show residents and the Township Committee that this budget, unlike previous one, was honest and reflective of the times. And if the budget was rejected, it would be devastating to the district.
The main thing that I am curious about, is how contract negotiations with the teacher's union is going. unlike in years past, these talks have been relatively quite but still unresolved over issues concerning healthcare contributions. So I wonder how the Board of Education can produce and honest, lean budget without a signed contract with the teachers?
