Kindergarten Paras Fit Into Approved School Budget

By a vote of 6-1, the 2012-13 school budget of more than $128 million won approval from the Thursday night during a public hearing at .

Two board members, Susy Golderer and Gary Martin were absent from the session.

The final hearing of the spending plan was not a completely smooth ride. Board member Michael Strumolo, who cast the lone opposing vote, was dissatisfied when he called for an independent line-by-line audit of the budget and was denied.

Superintendent LeRoy Seitz countered by saying another audit was unnecessary.

"We do have an auditor that this board has had for 30 years," Seitz said. "His report is presented to the board in hard copy and he will appear to answer questions. He also meets with the Finance Committee."

The superintendent noted that in addition, Executive County Superintendent Kathleen Serafino does an annual audit of the spending plan.

"We get a written report as to whether we have permission to publish the preliminary budget," Seitz said, adding that this approval was granted.

That assurance was not enough for Strumolo, who wanted to know what happened to the .

The superintendent explained that the projection was merely that, and the surplus ultimately ended up being only about half that figure. The excess, he said, went back to taxpayers in the form of property tax relief.

Strumolo did not accept that answer and showed his displeasure by voting against the budget.

Others, however, were pleased with the appropriations.

Seitz announced that the executive county superintendent approved allowing the district to keep its 24 kindergarten paraprofessionals in the spending plan.

"It really is a good thing," he said. "We included [$500,000 in] funding for paraprofessionals [in the budget]. We can reinstate them and we have the funds to pay for them."

The news was met with a round of applause from the residents in attendance.

State law says . Parsippany passed that test.

Seitz continued, saying next year's budget will maintain all current academic and co-curricular programs, among them the program for gifted students and the Talented Arts Program. Reading and media specialists will continue to serve, as will all current school counselors. New uniforms for high school bands ($60,000) and sports teams ($30,000) are also included. New textbooks, software and technological tools including computers and iPads are part of the plan as well, he said.

But one of the biggest drivers of the plan, the superintendent said, is the expense of employees' health coverage.

According to Seitz, health costs for school staffers are projected to increase to 6.3 percent of the plan after deducting .

This was not good news to teacher Bridget Mekita, who spoke up for her colleagues in the public-comment portion of the meeting.

"We are bringing home less money and losing the benefits we have worked for," she said, noting that forcing teachers to begin contributing to their health care costs amounts to them getting a pay cut. "Teachers seem to be ignored in this budget. We hope you remember to represent not only the taxpayers, but students and teachers."

Seitz said another large part of the spending plan is contractual obligations. He noted that this year, the district is in negotiations with all of its employees' associations and unions.

New staff members are another big part of the budget, the superintendent said. He pointed to new special education teachers, therapists, behaviorists and learning consultants joining the district in an effort to keep special-needs students within the Parsippany school system.

The plan also includes capital improvement projects, among them, $860,000 for a roof replacement at , $50,000 each for synthetic gym floor replacements at and schools, $100,000 for a retrofitted staidum bleacher for , $55,000 each for brick and masonry re-pointing at and Lake Parsippany schools and a $20,000 clock upgrade for Lake Hiawatha Elementary.

Because the 2011-12 budget stayed well under the state-mandated 2 percent property tax cap, this year, the budget was allowed a cap of 4.75 percent. For 2012-13, the tax levy stands at 2.74 percent for homeowners, which translates to an average increase of approximately $114.69.

The and includes .

Sandy Giercyk, a local resident and educator, made an appeal to the board during the public comment portion of the gathering.

"I appreciate that you maintained everything," she said. "I hope when you vote, it will be unanimous."

Her wish did not come true. Michael Strumolo voted no, but the six other members present approved the plan easily.

"I wanted an independent audit," Strumolo explained. "I wanted to know if there was any excess money and ."

President Frank Calabria said he had no hard feelings.

"I like when people vote their conscience," President Frank Calabria said. "As long as people vote what they believe, I'm happy. And I am pleased the budget passed."

Because of the board's decision earlier this year to move its elections to November, the public no longer has the right to vote down the school budget as long as it remains within the tax levy cap.

Final approval for the spending plan must come from the executive county superintendent.

The BOE next meets April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Administration Building, 292 Parsippany Road.