School Budget Talks Continue this Week

B continue this week at a regular meeting tonight and again at a special budget meeting on Thursday as the board pores over the $77.5 million spending plan for the coming school year.

Superintendent Dr. James Crisfield presented a preliminary budget with a 2 percent tax increase  “as a placeholder” until the district found out how much it was getting from the state, and school board members have said they want to come in under that amount. The district learned last week that it will get more than last year from the state.

The Board of Education's finance committee will meet on Tuesday night to go over the package that will be presented on Thursday, March 1, at a special budget meeting, when the board will discuss and approve a preliminary budget that will be sent to the county for review.

"But this is by no means a final budget and certainly not the last time people will get to speak up about the budget," Crisfield said last week. "There will be many more opportunities for the public to share their thoughts."

The board used a new law to move school board elections to November, which eliminated the public's vote on the budget in April. The board will continue to vote on the final budget in April. Proponets of the change say it saves money, and with the 2 percent tax cap, there's not as much of a need to put it to voters. 

The decision to move the elections to November was met with much disappointment and anger by residents who have been to the editor calling it a blow to democracy since the result is that they no longer get to vote on the budget.

, represented by several residents who attend school board meetings and include former school board members, issued a on Friday, asking residents to attend this week’s meetings to voice their opinions on the budget as well as the to move the election to .

WeLoveMillburn representatives say they think the school board “should immediately move to revoke the resolution it passed and vote on a new one – one that leaves it for voters to decide.”

Tonight's meeting begins at 7:45 p.m. at the