Sponsored by:
Senator CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Corrado and A.R.Bucco
SYNOPSIS
Excludes certain increases in school security expenditures from the tax levy cap applicable to school districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school district expenditures on school security costs and amending P.L.2007, c.62.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.18A:7F-38) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a school district shall not adopt a budget pursuant to sections 5 and 6 of P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-5 and 18A:7F-6) with an increase in its adjusted tax levy that exceeds, except as provided in subsection e. of section 4 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.18A:7F-39), the tax levy growth limitation calculated as follows: the sum of the prebudget year adjusted tax levy and the adjustment for increases in enrollment multiplied by 2.0 percent, [and] adjustments for an increase in health care costs, and increases in amounts for certain normal and accrued liability pension contributions set forth in sections 1 and 2 of P.L.2009, c.19 amending section 24 of P.L.1954, c.84 (C.43:15A-24) and section 15 of P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-15) for the year set forth in those sections, and an adjustment for an increase in school security costs .
b. (1) The allowable adjustment for increases in enrollment authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall equal the per pupil prebudget year adjusted tax levy multiplied by EP, where EP equals the sum of:
(a) 0.50 for each unit of weighted resident enrollment that constitutes an increase from the prebudget year over 1%, but not more than 2.5%;
(b) 0.75 for each unit of weighted resident enrollment that constitutes an increase from the prebudget year over 2.5%, but not more than 4%; and
(c) 1.00 for each unit of weighted resident enrollment that constitutes an increase from the prebudget year over 4%.
(2) A school district may request approval from the commissioner to calculate EP equal to 1.00 for any increase in weighted resident enrollment if it can demonstrate that the calculation pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection would result in an average class size that exceeds 10% above the facilities efficiency standards established pursuant to P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-1 et al.).
c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2010, c.44)
d. (1) The allowable adjustment for increases in health care costs authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall equal that portion of the actual increase in total health care costs for the budget year, less any withdrawals from the current expense emergency reserve account for increases in total health care costs, that exceeds 2.0 percent of the total health care costs in the prebudget year, but that is not in excess of the product of the total health care costs in the prebudget year multiplied by the average percentage increase of the State Health Benefits Program, P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.25 et seq.), as annually determined by the Division of Pensions and Benefits in the Department of the Treasury.
(2) The allowable adjustment for increases in the amount of normal and accrued liability pension contributions authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall equal that portion of the actual increase in total normal and accrued liability pension contributions for the budget year that exceeds 2.0 percent of the total normal and accrued liability pension contributions in the prebudget year.
(3) The allowable adjustment for increases in school security costs authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall equal that portion of the actual increase in total school security costs for the budget year that exceeds 2.0 percent of the total school security costs in the prebudget year.
e. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2010, c.44)
f. The adjusted tax levy shall be increased or decreased accordingly whenever the responsibility and associated cost of a school district activity is transferred to another school district or governmental entity.
(cf: P.L.2010, c.44, s.4)
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the next school district budget year following enactment.
STATEMENT
Under current law, school districts may increase their tax levies, with certain exceptions, by no more than two percent relative to the prior budget year. This bill provides that any annual increase in expenditures on school security costs in excess of two percent incurred by a school district will be excluded from the limit.