East Windsor Superintendent: Budget Cuts Will Result in Staff, Program Reductions

Even if the overall $34.83 million budget is passed by voters at the May 28 referendum, the East Windsor school district will face some tough choices in light of the finance board’s decision to cut $355,000 from the schools’ proposed budget.

As it stands, if the referendum passes, the school district’s budget would increase 2.2 percent to $20.61 million.

But that $355,000 cut will have a significant impact on the district, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Theresa Kane.

“It’s huge,” Kane said Wednesday evening after the Board of Education’s regular meeting.

Kane wouldn’t get into specifics, because the school board has not voted on them, but the proposed cuts to the budget would include reductions in staffing and programming.

“People are not going to be happy on the impact [the cuts] will have on the services we provide,” Kane said.

The cuts, according to Kane, will be made evenly across five cost centers: central office, special education, and the town’s three public schools.

“We all need to share in this,” Kane said.

Voters on May 14 soundly rejected by a 2 to 1 margin the town’s initial budget proposal, which included $21 million for education, representing an $800,000 increase - or 3.96 percent - over current levels.

Because that measure didn’t pass, and in light of the increased costs of education, Kane said that there would be a reduction in services.

“It will not look like it did this year,” Kane said.

Still, she said that the school district would do the best it could with whatever voters approve or the charter dictates.

“This isn’t good, but the students are still going to arrive [next school year],” Kane said. “We’re still going to provide the services to the students and support to the parents.”