Galloway Council Makes $362K in Cuts to Defeated School Budget

The Galloway Township Council passed a resolution Tuesday night that cuts $362,578 from the voter-defeated proposed $53 million 2011-12 Galloway Township School budget—but not before school and town officials tussled a bit.

It is up to the school board to decide which budget items to reduce to meet the total amount. During talks, Superintendent of Schools Annette Giaquinto and board Vice President George Schwenger agreed not to cut courtesy busing to Arthur Rann Elementary School or clubs and sports teams from the budget.

Giaquinto said the Galloway School District Board of Education would announce its line-by-line cuts at its meeting Monday night before submitting the budget to the county next week.

The council also voted on an $800,000 reduction in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District. Hamilton, Mullica and Egg Harbor City already agreed to make that reduction. Galloway, Hamilton, Mullica and Egg Harbor City are the four sending districts for Greater Egg Harbor, which includes Absegami, Oakcrest and Cedar Creek high schools.

Deputy Mayor Don Purdy, Councilmen Tony Coppola, Tom Bassford and Dennis Kleiner, and Councilwoman Whitney Ullman voted in favor of both reduced budgets. Mayor Keith Hartman was absent and Councilman Jim Gorman abstained from the proceedings.

There was a touch of hostility in the air as the special meeting began Tuesday night, and it concerned raises for members of the staff that resulted in a 5.25 percent increase for this year that the council had previously been unaware of.

The school district emphasized that these raises amounted to 1.75 percent over each of the next three years, which would keep it under the 2 percent cap mandated by the state for each of those years.

"I had a resident call and ask me if I knew about a principal's raise, and I didn't because nothing was said to me by the district," said Deputy Mayor Don Purdy, who ran the special meeting due to the mayor's absence. "In our discussion, I asked about raises and they didn't talk about it and they said it was because it hadn't been voted on.

"It is unacceptable for me to vote on a budget that has a 5.25 percent increase because my employees took a 20 percent pay cut and worked four day weeks last year. This does not sit well with the council."

The school district claimed it didn't say anything to members of council when they met to discuss the budget last Monday because contracts were still being negotiated.

It also didn't discuss five retirements that were submitted after the budget was defeated, and resulted in $281,289 that could be cut out of the budget because during previous discussions, the council hadn't given a number it was discussing cutting and she "didn't feel comfortable discussing retirements at that time."

"Last (Tuesday's council meeting) was a fair discussion," Giaquinto said. "The next day, we called you and said we have things we can reduce that we can offer out front. That's unprecedented."

Councilman Dennis Kleiner originally supported the budget, but stated that once he learned about the raises, he felt he had the "wool pulled over his eyes."

"The next day you came back with the budget being cut in half," Kleiner said. "How do you forget about people retiring?

"As someone who initially supported the budget, I'm glad I can go back and vote for it again because now I know the truth."

There was anger from members of the public, as well.

"We had a meeting on Tuesday and said the seniors are hurting. What do you not understand about 'We can't afford it?' " resident Anne Jezycki said. "5.2 percent this year is too much. It's like a big melting pot when you make a poor man's stew. Everyone contributes, but you're not contributing. You're taking out and that's not fair. I'm outraged the school board would even think of it. You need to do something for the kids. You don't give yourselves raises."

"I ask council to appoint 12 people for an advisory committee before next year's budget," resident Tom Mitchell said, adding he would like to see parents of private school students included in this committee.

He also accused the school district of using the children as "hostages."

Ultimately, the members of the school district quantified the raises as a small portion of the proposed budget.

"I understand you're angry, and I appreciate the folks who are hurting. You've expressed your displeasure," Giaquinto said. "But don't judge the whole budget because of (one part). It comes out to one-tenth of 1 percent."

After a brief recess, the council came to the conclusion to cut $362,578 out of the proposed $562,578 budget, but wanted assurances that courtesy busing for Arthur Rann Elementary School and the clubs and sports teams at the schools wouldn't be affected.

Giaquinto and Schwenger both agreed that could be done.

"I made a plea and I feel that with the number that you came up with, that showed you were willing to listen," Giaquinto said.

Schwenger finished by stating the school budget in New Jersey is the only budget in the country that is voted on, and that people take out their frustrations on the school system. He feels the tax structure in the state needs to be changed.

Until then, Purdy urged voters to go to school board meetings and help shape the budget process.

"I urge the residents of Galloway to go to the school board and voice their concerns," Purdy said.