Summit Stacks: How the School Tax Levy Compares to Nearby Districts

Despite being only one of 20 Type I districts in the state of New Jersey, Summit still approved one of the highest tax levy increases for the school budget out of nearby districts, with a 4.9 levy increase. Summit's budget eliminated two supervisor positions through retirements but mostly eliminated co-curricular stipends and expenses for principals for conferences. 

The other Type I districts in New Jersey are:

• Atlantic County: Brigantine, Corbin City, Linwood, Margate, Port Republic, Ventnor
• Bergen County: Rockleigh
• Camden: Camden, Pine Valley
• Essex County: East Orange, Montclair, Orange 
• Hudson County: Bayonne, East Newark, Harrison, Union City, West New York
• Mercer County: Trenton
• Middlesex County: New Brunswick

According to The Star-Ledger, New Brunswick's Board of School Estimate approved a 1 percent tax levy increase for an additional $39.67 for a home assessed at $117,000. The budget there will include a reduction of 65 staff positions.

According to The Jersey Journal, Bayonne and Union City's tax levy's will both remain flat while Harrison increased their tex levy by .03 cents.

In Atlantic County, Brigantine increased its tax levy by. 329 percent, Corbin City will increase it's tax levy by 2.403 percent, Linwood will increase 1.348 percent, Margate by .3 percent, Port Republic by 1.980 percent and Ventnor by .646 percent, according to the Press of Atlantic City. 

In Camden County, Camden will increase its tax levy by .6418 percent, according to the Courier-Post. In Essex, East Orange's will remain flat while Montclair will increase 4.4 percent, reports nj.com.

South Orange-Maplewood School District is  Type II district with an elected school board but a Board of School Estimate. There, the Board of School Estimate approved a school budget, which would increase the school tax 3.23 percent in South Orange and 4.08 percent in Maplewood. That budget reduced staff by 23 positions.

Frank Belluscio, the communications directors for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said the most recent districts to change their status have been:

• Appointed to Elected: Hackensack (1990); Burlington City (1991); Millville (1991); Edison Township (1992); East Newark (1992); Egg Harbor City (1992); Irvington (1995); Sea Isle City (1998); Englewood (2000); Beverly City (November 2009)
• Elected to Appointed: Union City (1991); Pine Valley (1996); East Newark (2002); Rockleigh (2004)

But there have also been failed attempts recently to change school board types. Most recently were:

• In November 2008, voters in Jersey City and Downe Township (Cumberland) both rejected proposals to establish appointed boards.
• In November 2009, 58 percent of voters in Montclair turned out to decide whether to switch from appointed to elected. For the fifth time in 46 years, it was rejected.

Summit has also considered this option twice before, both times the referendum has failed. Mayor Jordan Glatt recalled no referendum to move to an elected school board has been considered in more than a decade.

Type II Districts:

Berkeley Heights's school budget failed by 446 votes. The proposed budget would have cut 21.4 staff positions and increased the tax levy by 5.45 percent or $256 for a home assessed at $306,746.

Cranford's budget, which raises the levy 3.2 percent or $209 for a home assessed at $181,740, passed by 353 votes. This proposed budget eliminated 48 staff positions.

New Providence's budget failed by 135 votes. Their proposed budget eliminated only 8.2 positions and carried a tax levy increase of 4.68 percent or $284 for a house assessed at $285,000

Scotch Plains-Fanwood voters defeated their school budget by 696 votes. The budget eliminated 10 positions and raised the tax levy increase differently in each municipality. In Fanwood, the levy would have increased 7.2 percent or $439 for a home assessed at $84,595 and in Scotch Plains it would have increased 4.3 percent or  $299 for a home asssesed at $122,400.

In Springfield, the budget passed by 370 votes. This budget eliminates only five positions and will raise the taxes 3.97 percent pr $121 for a house assessed at the township average of $157,000.

Westfield voters also approved their budget but a slim margin of just 347 votes. The school budget eliminated 33 positions and raises the taxes 4 percent, or $306 for a home assessed at $180,000.

Nearby in Morris County, voters approved a more than 7 percent tax levy increase in Chatham and defeated a 4 percent proposed levy increase in Madison by 22 votes.

In Essex County, Millburn approved a 2 percent levy increase which would reduce 31 staff positions.