P'burg officials approve municipal tax increase Town to tackle school budget next. Council president looking at administrative cuts. Wednesday, May 02, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Town council adopted the 2007 municipal budget with an 8 percent tax increase and two council members followed it by putting school district administrators in their crosshairs. Last month, town voters rejected the district's $61 million 2006-07 budget. Decisions on line item cuts now fall to town council, which has a May 21 deadline. With state and federal mandates eating up most of the district's spending plan, council president David DeGerolamo and vice president James Stettner are looking at what they see as a bloated central office. "We're not looking to cut books," Stettner said. "We're looking at ham salaries." According to the top two councilmen, Phillipsburg School District has been receiving recommendations from the state Department of Education to trim administrative positions for years. DeGerolamo said it was too preliminary to point out who in the central office should be out. Only Superintendent Gordon Pethick has a multi-year contract. DeGerolamo and another undetermined councilman will sit down with school board president Paul Rummerfield and vice president Thomas McGuire. At the May 15 meeting, council will finalize their recommended cuts. The school board can then appeal those cuts to the Department of Education. Stettner feels the state would side with town council's recommendations because they are following the state's prior advisories to the school district. The school board adopted its budget with a 6 percent hike in taxes. DeGerolamo said the council can cut $161,000 in administrative salaries; that would represent 3 cents on the tax rate hike. Combined with the municipal tax rate, the average town taxpayer would face a $2,440 property tax levy. But that doesn't include county taxes and would mark an increase of $161 over last year. Council passed its $15.5 million budget on a 3-1 vote. Councilman Jim Shelly was absent and John Damato voted no. After the meeting, Damato felt the council should have had another meeting on the budget prior to adoption. He has missed the past two council meetings while on vacation. Damato thought he could have cut $600,000 from the budget but wouldn't elaborate on how because he didn't have a chance to consult with town professionals. DeGerolamo fired back after the meeting, saying he wasn't made aware Damato would be on vacation and that Damato did not forward him any budget recommendations to bring to the table. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2007 The Express-Times. Used with permission.