At the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting last night, conducted at Deerfield School, the President of We Love Millburn (called WLM after this) delivered a strong and fact-filled ultimatum to the nine members of the Board.

The group demands, of the Board of Education, that they come back on March 22nd with a budget that has no increase in the tax levy. If they present a budget that has any increase, WLM will unleash a campaign at the local, county and state level to have this school system investigated for violations of state regulations and fiscal mismanagement.

With the highest property taxes in the state, in a state with the highest property taxes in the country, the group will use the media to show how this Board is a prime example of what’s wrong in New Jersey. County and state officials already contacted are interested in what the Board does. The group further states that the Board of Education is not to say their usual "we’ll have to cut critical programs, aids, supplies, transportation, sports" and so on. WLM President Ralph Inglese stated: "We know that you don’t have to cut any of those areas to produce a more fiscally responsible budget".

Facts: -

- At the Board meeting of February 22, 2010, the Board said taxes would increase to the maximum permitted of 4%, plus using nearly $3 million of excess funds from last year. At the March 8th Board meeting, the Board said the budget would now only increase 1.25% plus the use of substantial surplus money, which is still the equivalent of another 4% tax increase.

- Millburn has among the highest administrative costs in the state at $124,000 median salary and $1,400 per student. Spending on administrative overhead takes funds directly out of the classroom.

- Over the last decade, enrollment has grown only 27%, yet the school budget has grown 100% and residents have taken on an additional $53 million in debt. The district has been among the top-rated schools in New Jersey for decades long before all this debt was added.

- Superintendent Richard Brodow has stated publicly that the anticipated increase in students for next year is 11 yet we are burdened with the debt and operating costs of the recent $21 million expansion plan at the middle school and high school that was approved on the basis of much higher enrollment.

- As demonstrated by the surplus, the District is holding, the community has been overtaxed for years with the District generating 5% to 6% surpluses in the face of the state’s law limiting surpluses to 2%.

- The Board has been overtaxing residents each year by over budgeting and building surpluses of 5%-6% per year and way beyond the legal limit. Without these illegal surpluses taxes could have been cut by 2% this year rather than being raised 2% without impact on school spending.

- 63 people are listed as working in the Ed Center and the WLM group questions whether they are all needed to maintain the high ranking.

- The QSAC report stated that the Middle School and High School had 84 classes below the required minimum of 15 students.

Other officers of WLM state:

Treasurer Jeff Diecidue: "For years we have witnessed the ever-increasing bloat of our school system that chokes off funds from reaching the classroom. Many of you on the Board have said the current budget is unsustainable. In these difficult economic times, any increase in the budget or our tax levy is unacceptable."

Secretary Liz O’Brien: "Over the past several years, the Board has approved the over-taxing of their own friends and neighbors and should be ashamed that those decisions were made under their watch. Now those funds are at risk to be taken by the State to fill budget gaps in other districts."

Chairman Mike Becker: "We like having the top school district and we don’t want to lose that. But we question why, for all we pay in property taxes, we don’t have things other schools have like: cutting edge technology and, arts programs, new schools. Also, why we do have students housed in trailers, parents paying millions of dollars for private tutors, endless fees for sports and activities, private donations for a turf field and even have to borrow athletic facilities from other schools. We should all be asking why. Where is the money going?"

President Ralph Inglese: "In the Governor’s recent speech he spoke of Shared Sacrifice, he said ’It’s time for us to hold hands and jump off the cliff. It’s time for us to do the difficult things that need to be done.’ That’s what we’re looking for in this budget. Don’t waste everyone’s time trying to minimize the impact -- touch everything in the budget so we’re all affected.

WLM states that in the past they have tried to address these issues numerous times and in numerous ways. Unfortunately, the situation has become so serious that the group sees an ultimatum as their only recourse. If WLM doesn’t see a zero increase budget at the March 22nd Board of Education meeting, they will open their arsenal and ask the town’s residents to vote it down. If voted down, legally this would mean the budget would then go to the Mayor and four other Township Committee members for consideration,. or, to the State Superintendent of Schools. However, in either case, it will be out of the hands of the Millburn Board of Education.

WeLoveMillburn is a non-profit, grassroots, informational organization made up of a complete cross section of involved residents. This mission is to help all residents be better informed about the issues and opportunities that affect the community. The goal of members: help make the community a better place to to live. We do this in a positive spirit of informing one another about what is happening, what is not happening and what is possible. We are all neighbors and this is our town. Please visit Visit www.WeLoveMillburn.com, review our reports and consider joining the organization or just sign up for the email newsletter at Info@WeLoveMillburn.com