P'burg voters nix school budget Town council now gets crack. Brennan ousted by newcomer. Wednesday, April 18, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Voters rejected the school district's $61.1 million 2007-08 budget that included a 7-cent hike on the tax rate, which would have been the largest local school tax increase in a decade. The budget now goes back to town council, which has until May 19 to finalize it. Council could begin discussing the budget at its next meeting, May 1. "It's difficult to ask the public to raise taxes," said board President Paul Rummerfield, who was re-elected Tuesday night to a fourth term. "I'm anxious to work with the town council to see how we can trim the budget." The state mandated the school district raise taxes to cover a $271,000 cut in state aid. The school district then opted to take a 3 percent hike from the state. Board members Newcomer Richard Turdo ousted board member Robert Brennan. Board Vice President Thomas McGuire was re-elected to a third term. Rummerfield said the board is facing a number of issues, especially a contentious relationship with Superintendent Gordon Pethick. "This is the superintendent's notification year, and we have to evaluate the role of the superintendent," Rummerfield said. Pethick's contract requires the board to notify him this year if he will be retained or if he will be let go at the end of his term in 2008. If the board takes no action, Pethick's three-year contract renews June 30. Rummerfield said the board will have to adapt in the future to how it handles the district's special state funding. The state Department of Education gave New Jersey's 31 economically disadvantaged school districts, also known as Abbott districts, the option of taking a 3 percent hike in state aid or submitting a flat-funded budget and then appealing for court-mandated state assistance. The district faced the same choice during the 2006-07 budget process. Phillipsburg was flat-funded and asked for close to $10 million in state aid. After a lengthy appeals process, the district settled for $886,000. 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.