Stockton School 2010-2011 Budget 

Public Budget Hearing at the School
Wednesday, March 31st; 7:30 p.m.
Please contact the school if you would like a copy of our budget.  

Click here for a copy of an absentee ballot.
Click here for directions on how to fill out an absentee ballot.

 

General Fund

ORIGINAL BUDGET                                 REVISED FINAL BUDGET

Total Operating Budget: $699,546                $695,346
State Aid: $0                                                 $0 
Tax Levy: $642,672                                      $636,972
Budgeted Fund Balance: $33,374                  $  34,874

Debt Service Fund

Repayment of Debt: $37,509                         $  37,509
Debt State Aid: $7,189                                  $    7,189
Debt Tax Levy: $11,609                                $  11,609
Budgeted Fund Balance: $18,711                   $  18,711

Tax Rate/Impact

The budget has a school tax rate of 0.66, (0.67 with debt service), which amounts to $2,128, ($2,169 with debt service), per average home of $322,466.

Compared to 2009 Budget
  • The 2010-11 budget has a increase of 4% on the school tax levy.   3.1%

Compared to 2009 Budget

Highlights
  • The school year runs from June 30th- July 1st while the local tax levy that comes from municipalities has a calendar from January 1st to December 31st.  Therefore the taxes needed to be raised from one school year are calculated from two calendar years- 1/2 at the previous year's rate and 1/2 at the current year's rate.
  • 100%, or $11,912, of the district's regular State Aid was cut.
  • Additional loss of $29,574 of State Extraordinary Aid is anticipated.
  • Differences were off-set by deductions for employee health care contributions, freezing administrative salaries, and eliminating one part-time position and utilizing anticipated revenues from private tuition, fund balance, and federal grants.
  • The PTO will continue to sponsor educational programs, such as school field trips and assemblies.  We also receive grants from the LAEF (our local education foundation) and the Municipal Alliance for educational programs and materials.
  • The Stockton Board of Education received a Historical Grant payment for $219,769 for the summer 2008 building restoration project, which was used to reduce the amount of the public referendum bond. Grants, totaling $37,509 will be used to reduce debt service. This includes $14,912 ($7,723 last year and $7,189 this year) in Debt Service Aid and a final payment of $10,988 from the NJ Historic Trust, and $621 from our Cash Management Fund.
  • Pre-Kindergarten program for four-year olds and the K-6 tuition programs will continue. Private tuition funds will be used to reduce the local tax levy.
  • Teacher negotiations were completed for 2010-2013 with increases of 1%, 2%, and 3%;  Revised in June 2010 to 2.1%, 3.1%, and 4.1% to compensate for the mandated 2.5% (pretax) deduction for health benefits.
  • The CSA contract is under negotiation.  There were no administrative salary increases built into the budget.
  • Shared and contracted services, such as a school business administrator, music teacher, child study team, speech and occupational services, are utilized to reduce costs.  Cooperative purchasing from the Hunterdon County Educational Service Commission (ESC) demonstrated a savings of $2,323 last school year.
  • Stockton Borough School District will participate with the other South Hunterdon Districts in the "Kid's Vote" program.  Students will have an opportunity to vote on a student-made ballot for specific school issues.
Board Members There are three board positions open for two three-year terms and one two-year term.  Three candidates have filed: incumbents Lisa Levine and Diane Walker-Torkelson and new candidate Reverend Ken Good.  Click here for candidate statement.

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 20th, 3-9:00 p.m., at the Stockton Firehouse. 

Absentee Ballot

Absentee ballot applications must be received by the County Clerk no later than ten days prior to the school election, unless you apply in person during the County Clerk's office hours, up until 3 PM on the day prior to the election.

 To use an absentee ballot to vote in the April 20th, 2010 School Election:
- Check the box: "School"
- Fill in the election date: April 20, 2010
- Print your name, date of birth, address, municipality and phone number where indicated
- Sign your name as it appears in the poll book
- Fill in the mailing address where the absentee ballot should be mailed to you.
    Mailing directions appear on the application. All absentee ballot applications should be mailed to:
    County Clerk's Office
    71 Main Street
    Flemington, NJ 08822

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES.

There are three candidates running for three board openings:

1. Diane Walker-Torkelson, was board-appointed this school year to replace former board member Atiera Abatemarco Ransavage for the remainder of a two-year term, 2010-2012.

I HAVE been a BOROUGH RESIDENT FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS, living here with my husband Norman and two daughters, Kjisten and Sara, both successful alumni of Stockton School and SHRHS. As a career educator with thirty-five years in the elementary classroom, I am also former PTO officer, school volunteer, and board president. Bringing both an educational and a historical perspective, I hope to serve on our school board. My only agenda is to maintain a vigilant, fact-finding approach as we seek to maintain the excellent and unique qualities of a small school education in an ever-changing world, at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayer.

Two three-year term to be filled for the 2010-2013.  There were two applicants:

2. Lisa Levine (Incumbent).

3. Kenneth Good.

My name is Kenneth Good and I am running for the school board.  In our home, we have a window that overlooks the school's playground.  My two year old daughter watches the kids playing with great interest.  I realize that, gulp, in three years, she will be in kindergarten, learning and growing in the place show looks at through her window.  I am happy to help support the school with its purpose and goals by serving on the board.

We have lived in Stockton for almost 2 years.  I am the pastor of Stockton Presbyterian Church and an Adjunct Professor of History at Kean University.  Don't worry:  I believe in the separation of church and state :)

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Comparative Data

Historical Data