The preliminary 2018-2019 Ridgewood School budget exceeds the 2% annual property tax increase cap for the first time since the current cap was enacted.
The draft budget was accepted by three of the five board members. Two abstentions were noted by members who believe more can be done to reduce the overall expenditures.
Options to ameliorate budgetary pressures have been discussed, however, input from residents is critical in determining if those options will be used. It is imperative that members of the community participate in the process, attend the budget presentations and voice their opinions.
Four years ago, a majority of the BOE voted to move the school elections to November. Associated with that change was the removal of a vote on the annual school budget, provided property tax increases remained within the 2% cap required by law. This does not mean that voters cannot have an impact on the annual budget.
For the next five weeks, the Board is discussing the budget in a series of public budget meetings, the first of which is on April 3 at 7:00 at George Washington MS and another on April 16 at 7:00 at Benjamin Franklin MS. The Board also has regularly scheduled meetings on April 2 and April 23 at 7:30 in the Ed Center. These meetings are an opportunity for everyone in the Village to voice their thoughts directly to the Board and Superintendent.
After these presentations conclude, the Board will have a formal budget hearing and vote on the final budget on May 7.
We urge all concerned citizens to attend and engage.
Christina Krauss, BOE Member
Jim Morgan, BOE Vice President
Greedy basterds. Karma will take care of them.
This budget is out of control and the unions are to blame. Time for new teachers to be put into 401Ks – the pension system is broken beyond repair. Time to do away with tenure. Time for union employees to pay the same for insurance coverage as those of us that pay their salaries. The time for change is now as the status quo is not sustainable.
We must attend the budget meetings at schools and speak up. Last night I watched budget meeting on TV and a gentleman protested that it was insanity to spend close to800 thousand dollars alone on new windows for Ridgewood High school. He said he and other residents were having a hard time making ends meet because of new tax laws on property taxes. Loncte and Fishbein were completely unsympathetic and rigid about spending all that money. Loncte said they had to spend that money in order to keep house sales high , because people chose Ridgewood for there good schools. Thanks to James we known that Ridgewood ranks less than other less expensive towns in Bergen County.
They are pricing everyone out of this town. So it’s not going to matter what our falling school ranking is . No one will be able to afford to live here. This spending is out of control. Would love to see a forensic accounting of the school budget and the miniciple budget . We need to demand action
Its not just the unions that are to blame – the excess administration and the high salaries play a big part also
Over 10 Million a year in Energy and Ground Maintenance? Over 8 Million a year in Administration?
How many money trees exist in Ridgewood?