Lower Elementary Superintendent Sacrifices Job for Zero Tax Hike

COLD SPRING — Lower Township Elementary School District Superintendent Joseph Cirrinicione is sacrificing his job to help offset a loss of $1.2 million in aid to the school district.
A combination of cuts and concessions will produce a zero tax increase.
Cirrinicione, 57, will retire June 30 and return in November as an interim superintendent being paid a starting teacher’s salary of $43,660 with no benefits or sick time. The move will save the district $120,000.
Under new state regulations instituted by Gov. Chris Christie, the school district lost $841,000 in state aid.
The district’s teachers agreed to a 2 percent raise for three years which saved 32 jobs including teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians.
“It’s about our kids,” said Lower Township Education Association President Barbara Bur. “We don’t want classrooms with 50 kids in them.”
The school district’s operating budget is down 6 percent from $26.3 million to $24.7 million. Total expenditures are down 10.5 percent from $29 million to $25.9 million or $3 million.
Cirrinicione said the state would have allowed taxpayers to contribute an additional $1.5 to the school district budget.
“I don’t agree with them, I don’t think taxpayers agree either,” said Cirrinicione.
He noted this is the third consecutive year of no tax increase from the district.
The district offers a $4,500 buyout for employees that can be covered by their spouse’s health insurance for a savings of $356,000. The district anticipates a savings of $314,000 as a member of the Atlantic-Cape May Counties Association of School Business Officials Joint Insurance Fund.
Under a new state regulation, all school employees will pay 1.5 percent of their health care costs for a savings to Lower Township school district of $202,000. Before and after school programs have been eliminated for a savings of $82,000.
Classroom supplies have been cut by $100,000. The overtime and substitute teacher budget was cut by $160,000.
Maintenance/custodial plant operations received a $248,000 cut. The purchase of two school buses was eliminated for a savings of $174,000. A curriculum consultant position was cut for a $60,000 savings.
A savings of $238,000 is coming from eliminating 17 non-contracted per diem aides. Those cuts offset the $1.2 million loss.
An additional $311,000 is realized from changing health care providers. A total of $300,000 was transferred from maintenance reserve. Including Cirrinicione’s retirement, an additional $731,000 was saved.
School district enrollment is holding steady at 1,900 students. Cirrinicione noted 40 percent of the school district’s students qualify for a free lunch because their parent’s income is at the poverty level. In addition, 15 percent of students qualify for reduced priced lunches bringing a total of 54 percent of students qualifying for free or reduced priced lunches.
Local taxpayers fund 55 percent of the school budget, up from 49 percent last year. Cirrinicione said the state is not paying its fair share of the budget.
Cirrinicione said the district continues to provide a thorough and efficient education “although scaled down.” He said no contracted employees were losing their jobs.
Cirrinicione said the district was debt free. Board member Ralph Bakley said with limited surplus available he feared what would happen if a school needed a boiler replacement or other costly repair. He said money for future repairs would have to be borrowed.