![]() There are certainly difficult decisions ahead. Right now, I cannot tell you exactly where the cuts will be made. Yet, we are required to make major cuts to present and approve a preliminary budget by next Tuesday. ![]() In some ways, it is especially challenging because of the strides made in adding positions, enhancing instructional resources, and making long-overdue repairs to our schools. Even going to the 2% or $800,000 budget increase limit and exhausting all of our banked cap amounts, which we are fortunate to have from past years for our use, we are still nearly $2 million short of a balanced budget. Our challenge now is how to make these cuts as painless as possible. And, thus, despite our conservative budgeting process, we are now facing a major deficit. ![]() With all of these increased costs, we were stunned to learn the state did not provide the additional support that neighboring school districts received. For example, there is a $600,000 increase in our custodial contract, an $850,000 increase in transportation, a $500,000 increase in medical insurance, $1.1 million in increased salaries, and other rising expenses because of inflation. And it places the Administration in a difficult position, as we are facing increased fixed costs. We find it outrageous and wrong that the Robbinsville schools did not get the funding to which we are entitled. And, despite approximately a 7% inflation rate, that did not happen. ![]() Under the state’s revamped funding formula, we expected approximately $2 million more to support our upcoming budget. The Robbinsville schools received very disappointing news from the state this week - we are the only school district in Mercer County to not see an increase in state aid funding for the upcoming school year. ![]() District Statement Re: State Funding Shortfall ![]()
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