Budget deal said in works Phillipsburg school officials, N.J. Department of Education tight-lipped about amount of state aid. Saturday, September 09, 2006 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | School district administrators and the state Department of Education are close to ending a $3.5 million fight over court-mandated state aid. "We're still in the process of negotiating," Superintendent Gordon Pethick said. "I feel like we're making progress." School board President Paul Rummerfield said members of the board's budget and finance committee decided during Thursday's meeting to not release any information on how much the district might receive. Because negotiations are going well, they don't want to spoil the relations by making the dollar number pubic before it's official. "I think things are going to work out," Rummerfield said. "We'll be able to operate the schools." Rummerfield said he expects to be able to divulge more information next week. State officials also declined to talk about how much state money is on the table. "Because we think we're close to settling, we don't think it's beneficial to get specific," DOE spokesman Rich Vespucci said. "We think the conversations were positive and we hope to approve this soon." As one of the 31 poorest districts in New Jersey, Phillipsburg has an "Abbott" designation entitling it to state funding. Earlier this year, the state Supreme Court allowed DOE to suspend supplemental funding due to the budget crisis. However, the court also gave districts the recourse to appeal their decisions and have their appeals decided within two weeks. District administrators waited for DOE officials to start the 14-day countdown to get answers to Phillipsburg's budget appeal. Vespucci said because discussions have gone so well, department officials don't consider the 14 days as a hard deadline. "They don't think it will be an issue," Vespucci said. Phillipsburg's budget without the appealed money is $59 million. District Business Manager Bill Poch said administrators hope to put the appeal amount on the Sept. 25 school board agenda. The board could vote to accept the negotiated supplemental funding or head to court to seek more money. "We want to do something soon," Poch said. Phillipsburg filed its appeal in May and because of misunderstandings over the amount of information submitted, the 14-day clock did not start. Vespucci said eight of the 14 appealing Abbott districts have yet to settle their budgets. Paterson Public Schools' appeal of $13.8 million was the most money requested and that appeal was withdrawn. Passaic has the current high appeal at $10.96 million, Of the six schools that have settled, three did not receive supplemental funding. Pemberton Township received the most funding at $2.96 million. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used with permission.