Princeton Regional Schools
Budget Facts Q and A
April 2010
When is the vote?
Tuesday, April 20th from 12-9pm
Is it too late to register to vote?
Yes.
Is it too late to apply for an absentee ballot?
Absentee ballot applications must be mailed by April 13th. They are available on the
district website and at the schools.
Where do I go to vote?
You will receive a sample ballot from the Board of Elections. Your polling place is listed
on your ballot.
What questions are on the ballot?
There is one budget proposal for the 2010-11 school year on the ballot. It is a yes/no
question asking for funds to operate the schools from July 2010 through June 2011.
We also elect members to the Board of Education each April. Borough and Township
voters elect representatives by their municipality.
Why do we vote every April?
By State law every municipality determines the local tax levy for public schools on an
annual basis in New Jersey.
How can I get to know the candidates?
Borough Candidate: Andrea Spalla
Township Candidates: Afsheen Shamsi, Molly Chrein, Dorothy Bedford (incumbent)
Both the Town Topics and The Packet have run articles on the candidates. Those articles
can be found on the papers’ websites and on the PRS website: www.prs.k12.nj.us
There will also be a candidates’ forum on Monday, April 12th at 7pm at John
Witherspoon School. The forum is sponsored by the Special Education PTO and
everyone is welcome.
What impact did the loss of state aid have on PRS?
The Governor’s State budget cut state aid to PRS by 67% or $3.7 million. This created a
huge revenue loss and has led to the reduction or elimination of many services, programs
and personnel. As many as 50 positions might be eliminated across the district.
How does the re-assessment of property in the Boro and Township impact the tax rate?
The following link for the assessment information is missing. Please add:
www.asinj.com
What other factors influenced this budget proposal?
An additional 3 million dollar gap existed due to lost revenue in interest monies;
decreased tuition from Cranbury; increased costs of benefits, insurances, energy
and contractual salaries; and obligations to two Charter Schools (Princeton
Charter School and the newly formed Princeton International Academy).
Does the public vote separately on the Charter Schools’ budgets?
No, there is no public vote. The funds for charters come directly from the single
tax question on April 20th.
Does the public elect the Charter Schools’ board members?
No, there is no public election. Charters’ board members are appointed from
within the Charter organization. The PRS Board and administration have
NO authority over the Charters.
If the total budget for 10-11 is $2.6 million dollars LESS THAN current year, why is there
a tax increase?
The increase is to cover a portion of the gap left by the loss in state aid.
What is the tax increase?
The tax rates and the tax impacts are different for our two municipalities.
The Borough tax impact will be $544 for the average assessed home of $753,125.
The Township tax impact will be $241 for the average assessed home of
$837,300.
How does the re-assessment of property in the Borough and Township impact the tax rate?
This will vary from property to property, depending on the change in the assessed
value of each property. However, the average property tax in the Borough will
DECREASE after assessments. It is important to note that because a home’s value
increases, or even doubles, it does NOT mean that the taxes will double. The
website for further assessment information is:
What happens if a budget is rejected by the voters?
The budget does not return to the Board of Education or the PRS administration.
By State law, it goes to the municipal governing body. In the case of PRS, a
defeated budget goes to joint councils of the Borough and the Township. That
body of elected officials strikes the budget for the academic year.
If a budget fails, does a charter school’s funding get reduced, also?
No.
What can parents and community members do to influence decision makers?
Direct links to all of our legislators, the Governor and the Commissioner of Education are
on the PRS website. Your voices and opinions must be heard!
Where is there more information?
www.prs.k12.nj.us
Princeton Regional Schools Facebook page; become a fan.
Garden State Coalition of Schools website: www.gscschools.org
What can be done to insure that voters get to the polls?
REMIND people to vote. Mark your calendars. Put alarms on your cell phones. Tie
a ribbon on your finger. Even though our parents and community members deeply
value education and are highly involved in our schools, only 13% of registered
voters go to the polls in Princeton every April.
How can we increase revenue for programs?
 Support the Princeton Education Foundation www.pef.org
 Make connections for schools and programs with corporate sponsors
 Make direct donations
 Assist in writing grants
 Support Friends of Princeton Athletics
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