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Pitman Boro School District trustees approve amended budget move to 2% levy cap to use roughly $343,000 in restored state aid
Summary
The board voted to amend its preliminary budget to reflect roughly $343,000 in newly restored state aid and approved raising the local tax-levy cap to 2% (a one-time option under recent state legislation), a move board members said will help restore staff and student support positions.
The Pitman Boro School District Board of Education voted to amend its preliminary budget and set the local tax-levy increase at 2% to accommodate about $343,000 in restored state equalization aid and the related spending plan.
Board president opened the discussion by revisiting the superintendent’s earlier report on new state funding and the temporary levy-cap provision. Interim Superintendent Steve Crispin said the legislation resulted in “about $343,000” being added to district state aid and described the money as funding that is being made available to the district. Crispin and business staff presented options for how the one-time funds could be used, including restoring teaching positions and a child-study/social-worker role previously reduced.
The board reviewed estimated homeowner impacts if the board adopted a 2% levy increase rather than the previously tentatively approved 1%. District staff said the average assessed home (stated in the meeting as $239,000) would see an annual impact rise from about $74 at 1% to about $97 at 2% (roughly $8 per month difference). Business-administration figures presented in the meeting showed the 2% levy would add approximately $154,924 to local revenue.
Trustees framed the decision as a trade-off between restoring staff and limiting added local tax burden. A recurring staff priority discussed was restoring a social-worker/child-study team member position that serves special-education case management across the elementary school; administrators said that position would account for a large share of the additional spending if approved. Board members also flagged the district’s continuing need to finalize classroom assignments before some special-education coverage decisions can be confirmed.
Finance & Facilities Chair Burson moved to amend item 23 to reflect the 2% levy and updated budget figures; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote. The board chair said the public hearing and formal adoption of the revised budget will occur at the June meeting.
What happens next: the board will publish the preliminary budget with the amended figures, submit it to the County Office for review, hold the required public hearing and then adopt a final budget at a subsequent meeting.
