Municipal Aid Flat, School Aid Up

The township's schools will see moderate increases in state aid for the coming school year, while the township itself will have to contend with being flat-funded.

The state Department of Education and Department of Community Affairs each released aid figures late Wednesday afternoon.

Gloucester Township Public Schools (GTPS)—a district that includes eight K-5 schools and three middle schools—is slated to receive $47,964,252 for the 2011-12 school year. The aid figure would represent an increase of roughly $955,000, or about 2 percent, from the current school year's $47,009,478 in state aid.

"Any time we don't go backward, it's encouraging news," GTPS Assistant Superintendent John Bilodeau said this afternoon.

GTPS was expecting "less-than-encouraging news" on the state-aid front, Bilodeau said, adding it appears the higher-than-expected aid figure will likely mean only a "minimal" tax increase.

The Black Horse Pike Regional School District (BHPRSD) has been told it will receive $30,989,894 from the state for the 2011-12 school year, up $634,911 from the current school year's aid figure.

BHPRSD, which includes Highland, Timber Creek and Triton high schools, learned of its state-aid award Wednesday afternoon.

"It was very, very great news for us," BHPRSD Business Adminstrator Jean Grubb said this afternoon. "We were hoping for flat funding, so we were pleasantly surprised."

The increase in state aid to school districts is equivalent to 1 percent of the districts' 2009-10 academic year budgets, according to the Department of Education.

"Reductions to education funding (last year) were among the most agonizing of those (budget) choices,” Gov. Chris Christie said in a statement issued Wednesday. “Because of the foundation we set in last year's budget, and our responsible management of the state's finances, New Jersey is on firmer footing and we are able to put more funding into classrooms throughout New Jersey. However, more money on its own will not fix our education system."

The township is to receive $5,106,459 in state aid for 2011—the same amount it received for 2010.

Christie promised "steady aid" to towns during his budget address Tuesday.

"I'm happy that there weren't cuts to the aid," Township Business Administrator Tom Cardis said this morning.

Despite the stagnant state-aid award, township officials are looking to introduce a budget in March that does not include a tax increase.

"We're going to put together a tight budget, but a fiscally sound one," Cardis said. "We're thinking cut costs and raise revenues, and we're looking at shared services with other communities and our schools."

The township entered into a shared-services trash hauling contract with Cherry Hill Township and the Borough of Merchantville in December that will save the township $647,474 over the five-year deal.

The three-town deal with Republic Services was hailed as the largest deal of its kind in South Jersey when it was announced.

Cardis noted the imminent infusion of cash from the sale of the former Nike missile radar base on Williamstown-Chews Landing Road to Gloucester Township Sports Complex Urban Renewal Partners LP for $1.35 million will certainly help the 2011 budget.