Final State Budget Figures Mean More State Aid for Central, Berkeley School Districts

Both the Central Regional and Berkeley school districts are slated to receive a little more in state aid, following Gov. Chris Christie's final approval of the state budget.

Central Regional will see a $302,551 increase for a total of $3,069,674. Berkeley will receive an additional $284,552, for a total of $2,117,182, Township Council Vice-President Carmen J. Amato Jr. said.

"It looks like our efforts for additional aid paid off," Amato said.

Christie said earlier this month that the state had restored "every dollar" of the $850 million in education cuts made last year and increased aid by an additional $30 million.

"I told the people of New Jersey last year that I made the cuts to K-12 funding as a last resort," the governor said. "We've restored ever dollar of that and in fact increased it. We are keeping faith with our commitment to New Jersey's children and their families."

Central Regional Superintendent Triantafillos Parlanpanides and Berkeley Superintendent Joseph H. Vicari said they welcome the additional funds, but were not sure if the money can be used for the current school year or for next year.

"We might be able to restore a few programs," Parlapanides said. "I don't know if it's earmarked for tax relief. This is extra money, one way or another. Either way, it's a win-win."

Vicari said the increase in aid was a "one-shot" revenue.

"It's up to the Board of Education, whatever they want to do," Vicari said.

Both districts went through a series of painful and sometimes acrimonious budget meetings after voters in both districts turned down the tax levies in the April 27 school board elections.

Central Regional has five sending towns - Berkeley Township, Ocean Gate, Island Heights, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. Voters in Berkeley Township and Seaside Park defeated the tax levy portion of the budget on April 27 by a 106 vote margin.

Four of the towns - Berkeley, Island Heights, Ocean Gate and Seaside Heights originally agreed to zero cuts in the budget.

But Seaside Park municipal officials held out for much more. They originally suggested $3 million in cuts. It was a number none of the other four towns could live with. Seaside Park later came down to $1.5 million in cuts, then down to $815,239.

The budget voters turned down called for the elimination of 11 employees, including nine teachers and two buildings and grounds employees. Freshman sports and home economics classes were also cut.

In the Berkeley school district, the defeated budget called for nine positions to be eliminated - including two gifted and talented teachers, two resource center teachers, one psychologist, three classroom teachers and a speech therapist.

School officials later announced that the gifted and talented program would be saved. The program will be up for discussion at the next board meeting in August.

Vicari returned to the Berkeley school district on April 1, at a reduced salary of $18,500. He had offered to work for free to help the district save staff and positions, but state law requires that certified school administrators be paid a salary.