Bridgewater Schools Propose 1.09% Budget Increase

Bridgewater, NJ -- A 1.09% budget increase was proposed at the Bridgewater-Raritan School District’s presentation on the 2016-17 preliminary budget.

Peter F. Starrs, Business Administrator conducted the presentation at the Jan. 26 Board of Education meeting.

This was just a preliminary look as Chris Christie will not releasethe amount of state aid each district will receive until Feb. 25. For now Starrs made assumptions.

“The goals of the budget are to maintain academic program, athletic and club activites, opportuities in arts and appropiate staff levels,” Starrs said.

The preliminary budget is proposing a $146,168,031 expediture with a 1.09% or $1,576,777 increase from last year.

The increase appears to be relatively low compared to past years leading back to the 2009-10 budget -- as it was increasing from anywhere from as high as 4.31% to .98%.

• New Staff requests - $1,920,550
• New textbooks and supply requests - 1,326,600
• Technology equipment - 556,115
• Facility/equipment improvements - $460,275
• Curriculum development - $373,200
• Professional development - $204,300
• Totaling - + $4.8 million

These are just requests made at this time. They will need to be reviewed and approved in order to move forward

Starrs also pointed to enrollment numbers. A demographer recently analyized the district yet officials are disagreeing with his report. Starrs said the district currently has 8,530 students enrolled.

“The demographers report that was done is not even close,” said Dr. Daniel Silvia Interim Superintendent for Bridgewater-Raitan. “You could toss a hand grenade and not even be close. We have to look at the actual numbers.”

Moving forward on the budget, after state aid numbers are released the budget will be presented to the public on March 8 (tentatively).

March 22 is the deadline for the district to submit a tentative budget to the state superintendent. Then on April 26 there will be a public hearing on the budget and a possible adoption.

(Photo by Alexis Tarrazi: A snap shot of the preliminary budget for 2016-17)