New State Aid Greeted With Cautious Optimism

The news this week of no cut of state aid to the borough and nearly $319,000 in aid for the school district was met with cautious optimism.

“The schools are going to see some limited increase in aid, which is certainly something our taxpayers can take some heart from,” Borough Commissioner Ed Borden said. “It would have been virtually impossible to cut our municipal aid. The budget that we are facing is going to be very difficult and will necessarily result in cuts in services if we stay within that cap. And people are going to feel it.”

 Borden was referring to a two-percent limit that Christie has imposed on on municipalities for property-tax increases.  Municipalities are now required to have a public referendum in order to raise taxes beyond a two percent per year rate.  

 The borough commissioners approved a measure this week to allow for such a referendum, but said it was not necessarily an intent to use it.

Commissioner Jeff Kasko, who oversees Haddonfield’s department of revenue and finance, said he Borden and Mayor Tish Colombi, the borough’s three commissioners and top elected officials, were planning for the worse.

 “We were building in a 15 to 20 percent reduction,” Kasko said of this year’s budget which will be introduced next month. “If we don’t have to do that now, it’s helpful.”

 The borough will receive $981,024 in state aid toward expenses. 

 The news for the school board was even better.  Christie’s new budget restored $318,947 in funding.  Last year, Haddonfield received no state aid.  School officials were anticipating at least $241,000 from the state this year. The additional aid is expected to close a $77,000 deficit the district was facing because of a shortfall in tuition revenue.

 “It’s a great thing that we were able to receive state aid this year,” board business administrator Andrew Hall said Thursday.