| Author |
Message |
    
mellie
Citizen
Username: Mellie
Post Number: 390
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:11 pm: |     |
I read the budget 101 stuff - 99% pabulum. Why are healthcare costs increasing in our district - they did not increase at my firm ? And why by 10% -15% - did the teachers all become frail overnight ?
So, if I get this right:
budget is $75m
budget is up 9%
costs are therefore up about $8m over 2003
benefits (per the ppt) are $10m = $1m of the increase
salaries are 75% of $69m = c$50m; pay rise was 4% = $2m (but I thought we had the big pay rise last year so we were done for a while
that leaves $5m not explained by you
so explain it to me in numbers not mission statements |
wharfrat
Citizen
Username: Wharfrat
Post Number: 963
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 5:07 am: | |
I don't get paid to figure out how to manage the District. Peter Horoschak does (and quite handsomely at that . . . $150,000+ per year.) Unfortunately, there's very little in the way of tangible, objectively demonstrable results to show for his years of stewardship.
So you should take Fringe up on his offer . . . pay him the Boss's salary and I'm reasonably certain that in short order he and Rene Pollock, and Jim Corino, and Hannah Edelman and a few others could figure it out. It wouldn't be easy, but you know, Necessity is the Mother of Invention. Peter's got a major attitude problem . . . mainly that he doesn't want to figure it out. Well, he'd better get ready for an attitude adjustment.
Jim-
You've been on CBAC school's committee for how many years now? You and Fringe have supposedly been analyzing the budget, identifying budget drivers, and that's the best answer you can come up with.
For shame, sir! I think I understand why you two just re-package the same summary year after year. It's not the money. It's all about personalities and temperment.
David Arensburg
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michael
Citizen
Username: Michael
Post Number: 472
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 9:23 am: | |
Well Nohero, I agree. When the petition is submitted we will all know.
But why avoid the question? What advantage is begot from this type of evasion?
Let me help you jfburch.Here are some possible answers
Yes
No
Undecided
Please, enlighten us. We want to know !
(I refuse to believe you are ignoring me. No good, self-respecting neighbor, let alone BOE candidate would choose to ignore a reasonable question.) |
Diversity Man
Citizen
Username: Deadwhitemale
Post Number: 627
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 9:40 am: | |
Why not, when the superintendent does, and continues to do so, right through last night's President's Council meeting.
DWM |
knak
Citizen
Username: Knak
Post Number: 47
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 3:41 pm: | |
re: the rise in health care benefits (insurance coverage) costs:
At UMDNJ, which is part of the same state benefits plan for NJ state employees, the fringe rate as a percentage of salary increased from 24.15% in 2002-03 to 31% for 2003-4 (year begining 7/1/03). The 24.15% was an artificially low number that had surprised everyone (it was 27% in 2001-02).
The breakdown for the 31%, according to my accounting dept. within UMDNJ, includes 20.15% for the medical plan, and that is the one number that varies substantially from year to year. Related costs include disability insurance and the mandated payments for FICA and worker's comp.
The medical insurance rates are based on NJ's negotiations with Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield (New Jersey Plus, an HMO plan, is the main state employee coverage) and other major carriers.
It's wrecking my department's grant-funded budgets, which were figured on the old rates + 4%.
I suspect most public service budgets were similarly impacted by the problems with health insurance costs. |
Reflective
Citizen
Username: Reflective
Post Number: 314
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2004 - 9:34 pm: | |
knak;
interesting insight.
do you know if private healthcare benefits rose the same?
Or are the dynamics different with employees splitting costs with the employer?
Your further thoughts appreciated.
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jfburch
Citizen
Username: Jfburch
Post Number: 1300
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 - 9:03 pm: | |
Long Island is different in many ways from NJ, but this was interesting:
February 12, 2004
In Middle Age, the Suburbs of Long Island Show Wear
By BRUCE LAMBERT
Long Island, where post-World War II suburbia was born, is in a midlife crisis and battling some disturbing social and economic trends that provide a window into issues that suburbs around the nation may face, according to a 15-month study sponsored by a nonprofit group.
Average pay from Long Island employers has dropped in recent years, little land is left to develop, taxes are high, cars are multiplying faster than people, commuting times are longer and people are being priced out of the housing market, the report said. And an increasing minority population is coinciding with persistent segregation.
Perhaps most striking is that a region long synonymous with families and children is losing part of its younger generation, and the median age of residents is steadily rising. In the 1990's, the number of people age 18 to 34 shrank by 143,184, or 20 percent, in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the census showed.
That age group also declined nationwide, reflecting the "baby bust" that followed the baby boom. But the island's drop was five times the national decrease of
4 percent....
http://tinyurl.com/326s5 |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4700
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 9:03 am: | |
Most employeers who provide health benefits for their employees have seen the cost rise because of higher medical costs and in many cases higher utilization. There are a lot of babies being born (at least at my company ) and many companies have an aging workforce with more medical needs than younger employees.
Very few companies are increasing medical benefits. Most private employeers are increasing co-pays, increasing the employee contributions, etc. I pay close to $3,000 a year for family coverage for a plan very similiar to the New Jersey Plus plan. |
Elmwoodian
Citizen
Username: Java_drinker
Post Number: 305
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - 2:22 pm: | |
People don't leave because of the taxes; they leave because the taxes don't seem to be doing anything.
If you are going to raise the taxes to the level they are now, one would expect a much better school system, more services and protections.
The schools have been the #1 reason explained to me for the rapid rise in taxes for SoM. Yet we hear that the teachers are not receiving the resources they need, class sizes are going up and then there is the crime. The types of crime at and around the high school is what have come to expect from Newark or the Bronx, not tawny Maplewood. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 1959
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 23, 2004 - 9:51 am: | |
"tawny" Maplewood? Do you mean "brownish-yellowish; tan" Maplewood? Or is that Pittsburghese for "Townie" Maplewood? Or do you mean "tony" Maplewood? I suppose any could be accurate. |
William Ralph Gifford III
Citizen
Username: Williamgif
Post Number: 5
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 7:25 pm: | |
Hello, my name is William Gifford. I am a senior at Columbia High School and I am running for the Board Of Education. As another year passes, Columbia High School seems to be falling apart quicker and quicker. Our public education needs more support and more funding. More than ever we need our community to support the public schools.
As a student in Columbia, I am very knowledgeable of the problems that our schools face. Everyday I walk the hallways and I hear the hardships of the janitors who have to pay for there own supplies and I see the students who hesitate to read aloud in class, because sadly they can’t. I see the low level classes filled with black students and I see the high level classes filled with white students. We need to make changes!
First we must admit that Columbia High School is not the school it was years ago. Right now the district is trying to maintain educational excellence, when we really need to be making changes so that we can achieve it. For years Columbia has been known for its variety of choices for students: now elective classes are being cut by the dozen. We need to restore the privilege of choice to the students of our district.
As a candidate for the Board of Education, I want to work harder on closing the achievement gap in the district. Not enough is being done to solve this problem. Also, I want to restore Maplewood and South Orange’s reputation for having excellent public schools. To do this we will need greater support from the larger community so that the needs of our schools are adequately funded.
If elected I promise to work hard on the issues and gain the support of a community so all children are given the chance to succeed. On APRIL 20th VOTE WILLIAM GIFFORD FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Yours,
William Gifford
If you have any questions please contact me at Qsociety@hotmail.com
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Reflective
Citizen
Username: Reflective
Post Number: 362
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 10:00 pm: | |
WG:
First you are to be commended for running for the BOE.
Don't disagree with most of your thoughts above.
But you state twice that we (taxpayers) need to support the schools with more funds.
Over the past month, this board has been full of school budget issues. Some agree with you - that the community needs to support increased funding regardless of the increase; others feel that the high rates of annual school budget increases are a large tax burden on a shrinking taxpayer wallet.
Please explain how you, if elected, will manage the funding needs of the school district versus the high property taxes which challenge Maplewood homeowners.
Again thanks for your jumping in and on MOL as well. It's more than the adult candidates have done to date. |
William Ralph Gifford III
Citizen
Username: Williamgif
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 12:04 am: | |
Dear Reflective,
It is true that our property taxes are getting higher and asking for more funds only makes life harder on the residents of the district. Keeping that in mind, we want to make sure that the tax payer’s money is used in the right places. Right now the district is paying administrators among the highest wages in the state of New Jersey; we need to stop spending money where its not needed, (for example Dr. Carino the interim assistant Superintendent for administration, who is paid around $130,000: no district surrounding us has this position)and we have to spend our money where it counts: in the class room. We need to spend our money smart!
The community must also understand that if we do not support the public schools, the community itself will collapse. It’s simple, if Maplewood and South Orange don’t have good public schools newly weds and others won’t want to move into the community, ergo making property value go down. Soon people will get sick of paying high taxes and getting nothing in return. People will move farther down the rail road to a town where the public schools are alright and taxes are low. We need to create attractive academic facilities, so this community will continue to flourish.
Yours,
William Gifford
BOE Candidate
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ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 2072
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 4:29 pm: | |
Mr. Gifford, the position of "interim assistant Superintendent" may be one-of-a-kind in name, but could you give us a job description of Dr. Corino? |
Who?
Citizen
Username: Deadwhitemale
Post Number: 712
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 9:41 am: | |
What about Latz and Frazier saying if you can't stand the tax increases, tough, just leave.
What is your position?
DWM |
J. Crohn
Citizen
Username: Jcrohn
Post Number: 1009
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 9:50 am: | |
I just received this goof from a friend who's a prominent biology researcher at an ivy league university. (It might offer some cold comfort to those who look askance at our local administrative overhead):
NEW ELEMENT DISCOVERED
A major research institution recently announced discovery of the heaviest element ever observed. This new element has been tentatively named "Administratium."
Administratium contains one neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 111 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312, as a result of unpredictable quantum fluctuations, in a dimension in which the usual rules of mathematics and logic do not apply.
Those 312 particles are held together by a weak force known as morons, surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Administratium has no electrons and is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes most reactions with which it comes in contact. A minute amount of Administratium causes many reactions to take more than four days to transpire, which in otherwise normal, unimpeded conditions would typically take less than one second.
Administratium has a half-life of three years, and does not decay, but instead undergoes reorganization, in which a portion of the assistant
neutrons and deputy neutrons and assistant deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Administratium's mass will actually increase over
time, because each reorganization causes some morons to become neutrons forming isodopes.
That characteristic of moron-promotion leads scientists to speculate that Administratium is formed whenever morons reach a specific quantity
in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass." |
Who?
Citizen
Username: Deadwhitemale
Post Number: 714
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 1:23 pm: | |
Hey, some of our finest board members graduated ivy league universities.
So, they could not be elitists, after all.
DWM |
William Ralph Gifford III
Citizen
Username: Williamgif
Post Number: 7
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 10:30 pm: | |
Dear DWM,
Your question is a good one. What do we tell the people who don’t want to pay the taxes for our public schools? And an even better question to ask would be, “what do we tell those students whose choices of classes diminish every year because a lack of funds?”
West Orange is a High School that resembles the Columbia of years ago. It is a High School with a vast amount of different and interesting elective courses for it’s students. The district affords these beneficial courses because West Orange has a variety of businesses and stores which they can take money from to put into schools. Maplewood and South Orange have no where near the private business and commerce that West Orange has, so the burden of paying for schools falls harder on our citizens.
So what does the community do? If we don’t financially support our schools, Maplewood and South Orange’s educational attractiveness will surely dim as our schools become worse. On the other hand, if we do financially support the schools, people must also be afraid that they’ll pay higher taxes and see no improvement in our schools: which is possible.
One very important point I must make, is that if you’re going to complain about paying taxes for public schools, you also need to be complaining about the schools themselves. I bet that if more people came to BOE meetings and watched the district closer, the tax payer’s money would be more wisely spent. However, because our community lacks a substantial interest in the public education of Maplewood and South Orange, decisions that affect your wallet aren’t even disputed by regular citizens!
Schools need more than just our money; they need our attention as well!
Yours,
William Gifford
BOE candidate
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mellie
Citizen
Username: Mellie
Post Number: 453
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 11:09 pm: | |
True William - but as our elected rep, it will fall to you to steer the Administration, BOE and BSE to more fiscal accountability. Some of us are working as hard as we can just to pay the bills. We don't have time to do Dr H's job for him.
Hey, that's why we pay him.
But, best of luck with your campaign. I am sure you will bring a much needed fresh insight. |
fringe
Citizen
Username: Fringe
Post Number: 338
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 8:36 am: | |
Can we assume from the comments above that Master Gifford's primary solution to education funding is higher property taxes?
For the record, West Orange funds 10% of its budget from state aid compared to 8% for SOMSD. The difference in aid is primarily the result of a forumula driven process based on averages that penalizes this district for the high incomes and high property values of a minority that raise the overall average of all.
Master Gifford refers to the decline in electives at CHS, but fails to note the increase in low-enrollment remedial classes. How does he or any candidate propose to maintain the current number and class size of the remedial sections and increase class size without also increasing the budget and raising taxes? Should the educational preparedness of the CHS enrollment continue its downward trend, does he or the other candidates favor shifting more resources to the remedial end of the spectrum or should the District adopt a "guns and butter" approach.
Using Mr. Campbell's approach - What do we want? How will we pay for it? How will we measure it?
JTL
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fringe
Citizen
Username: Fringe
Post Number: 339
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 8:39 am: | |
Should be "increase electives (not calss size)" |
Who?
Citizen
Username: Deadwhitemale
Post Number: 719
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 20, 2004 - 10:03 am: | |
Maybe Latz, Fraser and Super H have the answer, and like Nixon and his secret plan to end the war, they will take their plan to the grave with them.
[There, I did it, accurately drawing a parallel between Latz, Fraser and H on one side, and our late, beloved President, Richard Milhaus Nixon, on the other.]
DWM |
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