BAYONNE —
The proposed school tax increase returned by the Board of Education last week will provide additional funding for school safety measures, two permanent vice principals and the replacement of smart boards for each school.
Instead, the board chose to raise the school tax by 1. 1 percent —
Down from 1.
99% tax increase, which is attached to the first edition of 2019
The budget for 2020 was considered.
The new budget approved at a meeting on March 20 is currently awaiting approval from the county director.
At a meeting on March 14, the board identified the initial tax increase.
However, after some of the trustees spoke out, the board withdrew the budget and voted to support the new budget, while central government officials rushed to cut $600,000 to manage the decline in tax percentages.
In the initial budget, more than $300,000 will be used to pay for multiple silent panic alerts per school.
The new budget is only $100,000 for panic alerts.
Last month, the government
Murphy signed a law requiring at least one emergency button for each school.
According to interim superintendent Michael Vanke, the bill will come into force on December.
"We are trying to go beyond the curve and actually build a system that works best for our school," Wanko said . ".
Bayonne High School covers about 13 acres
It's stupid to just set an emergency button for the whole school. . .
So we want the panic mechanism to have multiple locations so that we can get the maximum security.
"Based on the new budget and the percentage of taxes, it is not clear what the region can afford.
The state has not officially announced the allocation of funds for the alert system.
"We have to plan ahead and get ready.
"So we cut it down and left money for it," said Thomas fogu, acting business administrator . ".
"Security is a major issue for us and we want to make sure that we meet the needs and requirements of the country.
"In addition, district officials are planning to be in John M.
Bailey School and Washington Community School
There are nearly 700 students in each school.
At present, of the 11 primary schools in the district, only the Zhongcheng Community School employs a permanent vice president.
At present, employees in the administrative department transfer from school to school every week as vice president. “(Midtown)
"There are more than 1,100 students here, so we definitely need a full time vice president," Wanko said . ".
"As we have done for schools close to 700 students --
For example, this is a lot of observation of the teacher, but also a lot of observation every day. to-
Day operation required.
"In the end, officials have allocated funds to add a new smart board --
Touch-sensitive interactive whiteboard-
Every year in every school.
It's not on the table now.
The preliminary budget is still waiting for approval from the county director and will eventually require approval from the state.
1 day after.
The 99% tax increase was approved, and some trustees issued a joint press release saying the increase was rushed through with little transparency.
Some claim it lacks financial discipline. The 1.
A 99% increase in school taxes will result in an additional $70 per year for owners of houses worth $123,000.
Use 1 under the new budget.
An increase of 1%, the same homeowner will pay an additional $52.
Not all trustees voted in favor of the new increase.
Trustees Ava finnitty and Charles Ryan voted against the withdrawal of the original budget at the second meeting. "The 1.
"99% of the tax is responsible and well thought out is the result of at least five meetings of the Finance Committee," said trustee Charles Ryan at the meeting . ".
"This is a step back.
Al D'Angelo, chairman of the Bayonne Teachers' Association, said the tax rate was stupid.
"It doesn't make sense not to fund education, especially on important things," he said, referring to panic alerts and the replacement of smart boards.
"I think it's a mistake, but it's consistent with what they 've done over the last 30 years," he said . ". Corey W.
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