I bought my house 2.5 years ago and the taxes have gone up $800.00. I think I will have to sell and move to Delaware. This sucks.

The taxes have consistently gone up every year in the worst economy since the Great Depression. It is unconscionable. There needs to be cost-cutting, not budget increase. Get rid of personnel, get rid of the sports programs, get back to basics, block the internet from personal use, the list is endless. The burden is out of control.

I think the BOE has cut over 10 million dollars in the school over the last few years. I want our school system to be one of the best in NJ as I think that is the only thing that will make my house marketable. We pay extremely high taxes to Passaic County (very close to what we pay for our schools) this is a huge problem. If you think you can pay cheaper taxes and retain a good market price on your home somewhere else in NJ...please let me know where.

They must be joking. I have houses in my neighborhood which are not selling because of the high taxes. As was said let's get back to basics. I also, am one that has never used the school system and wish they would give us some form of tax relief or I also may be forced to sell and move to another state. By the way Jancy312, if the budget has been cut by over 10 million dollars why than has it increased? Seems to me that some one has been misleading some one.

The three-yearly OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, which compares the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in 70 countries around the world, ranked the United States 14th out of 34 OECD countries for reading skills, 17th for science and a below-average 25th for mathematics.

List of countries the US trails behind.
Norway, Estonia, Switzerland, Poland, Iceland, Shanghai-China, Korea-South, Finland, Hong Kong-China, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Belgium

I would like to know what their school budgets are?
More money is not the answer and on a world scale our school systems are par at best. That's the reality most people seem to want to ignore.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/dec/07/world-education-rankings-maths-science-reading

We absolutely need to have full-time elementry school guidance councelors and offer full-time Kindergarten. We also nee an interactive student portal that is programed to enhance the students and parents ability to use this resource for health, safety, and an educational tool.
As I learned last year, our teachers salary breakage is not open for discussion. It's a final cost, not an estimated allowance. We need to continue offering a good salary and benefit package in order to hire these talented teachers, administrators and councelors, or else.
We also need to continue investing in our failing adult school, by using funds and district resources that support educational tools and programs for our senior citizens.
As you know, last years 2.9 million vanished into tin air. This years 3.2 million will probablt do the same. That's because it's not enough. The only way to ever make our efforts show positive results is to keep putting more and more money into our school system until it finally begins to reward our community with positive improvements. Schools are not like antiques. They don't increase value by aging in the attic.

Ask the BOE about the millions of dollars wasted at the end of the school year, when desks/computers/office items/chairs/etc are thrown in the dumpsters...don't believe me?? Go to any dumpster for the month after school ends and watch your tax money get thrown away .... And yes, let's get some guidance counselors in the elementary school.... find out what the 10 year olds want to be when they grow up - most HS seniors don't even know!!!

Linda...you had me until the guidance counselor thing. Mocking what counselors do doesn't boost your argument. And I might even agree with you about the benefit of providing that. But where do you stand on full day kindergarten. With 75% or more of districts providing full day kindergarten in NJ, we are starting our kids off at a competitive disadvantage and then expecting them to magically catch up. With every study in the world on the subject supports full day kindergarten, how have we fallen so far behind the times?

And...everyone in this crazy town ignores the main reason Wayne taxes are so high. It is not that we spend the most per student...in fact, we are around the median. It is the fact that New Jersey provides almost no state aid as a percentage of costs. We get hurt by the fact that we are such a large district with no aid from the state.

I hope you all were bent over when the BOE stuck it to you. We don't get to vote on there budget. Now that there elections are in Nov. Plus we keep getting BOE members put on the council. So even if we could vote the budget down? The BOE would have enough votes on the council to keep the cuts small. I grew up in this town. My sister lives in our parents house. She is paying more in taxes today. Then are parents paid for the house 70 years ago.

Leanbean...maybe if you weren't so opposed to education you would know the difference between "there" and "their."

So here we go again a proposed 4.5% tax increase. I thought they were restricted to a 2% increase in the budget. No one is opposed to education, I put two daughters through the Wayne school system but the unnecessary spending has to stop.Enough is enough. You are forcing people out of town with the high taxes we are being forced to absorb The Wayne public cannot continue along this path.They make it sound so simple "it would only cost the tax payer $250 plus the township plus the county taxes. I thought that the township BOE received a big check from the state so where did that money go? The more they get the more they spend. I'll bet if an audit was conduvcted I'm sure waste would be uncovered. I say enough is enough NO INCREASE in School taxes the economy & people's wallets can't afford anymore, we are tapped out.

@WayneParent, that comment to leanbean was totally uncalled for. Please have respect for the members of our community. Furthermore, the spell checks, etc. would not have picked up that error. I have seen the media misspell and use poor grammar, yet no one comments on that; but apparently, it is okay to attack someone who is not media.

Am I the only one that remembers the old Anthony Wayne Middle School which was sold off? I believe that the sell off was around the same time as the FBI infiltration to clean up Wayne. Apparently, there was no need for another middle school, but our taxes kept rising regardless. Suddenly, there was a NEED for a middle school and it appeared on Garside Avenue. It didn't matter that most of the residents were against it, BUILD IT...The sports should be pay for play..the parking should be pay to park...we need to get down to basics.

If Wayne is such a great school system, explain to me why those parents who can afford it, send their children to private schools? There is a major disconnect between fact and fiction. While the Wayne school system is okay, it is far from great considering the money that is poured into it. There is absolutely no accountability for where the money goes...there is only this sense of a "great school system" adding to the property values. Who is perpetuating this fallacy? The teachers who want their six figure salaries plus benefits? Wake up folks, World War II Veterans are found dead in their homes, yet the property taxes keep rising...

^^^ *applauding* Well put, Justice (& Bob) - I couldn't have said it better myself (and I'm serious!) I remember the old Anthony Wayne (I was one of the last classes out of there) -Wayne sold it to Hartz and somehow (I don't remember how), the Salvation Army received it as a donation (or for a $1) - some ridiculous amount... What I really love about this town - does anybody remember Beckitt Rensicker (sp) on Valley Road extension?? A huge corporation, that received a 10-year tax free break? Guess what that company did, after living off the Wayne land, tax-free, during their 10th year here? That's right - they moved on...so there goes THAT ratable....how about the "new" Anthony Wayne going on Rt. 23 originally, where the State Farm used to be... No Wayne parent could even fathom the thought of *gasp* their child going to school near a highway! So, that building sits, unused, no ratable there either, for how many years?? Look at Rt. 23, look at Wayne Hills Mall, look in Mt. View - it's like a waste-land....corporations, mom & pops, townsfolk, pulling out....not because of the wonderful Wayne school system, but because of the ever rising tax increases... Keep it up Wayne BOE and government, and as my family was told, if you don't like it here, move out!

I guess this would be a bad time to suggest eliminating Pacanack school and sending half the students to Randall Carter and the other half to Theunis Dey schools. Much of our towns problems began with having a school in every-one's back yard.
It would also make more sense if the Wayne Municipal Building either moved to Valley Rd Extension or Made a new home next to Kohl's on Rt. 23
The Wayne Hills Mall doesn't want to be a Mall any-more. They proposed tearing it down and making it into an out-door "Bryant Park", but the town nixed the idea.
Anthony Wayne Jr. School is on some 99 year lease agreement, but who cares, we built a new state of the art Jr. high-school on Garside.
We have 9 elementry schools, 3 junior high-schools, and 4 high-schools in an area that covers 28 square miles. If you live in our town, or plan on living in our town, you're going to have to accept the fact that you're going to have to pay for these schools one way or another. If you can't accept this, why did you move here in the first place ?
Cry babies !!!
Use some common sense. We need full-time Kindergarten...get over it
We need full-time elementry guidance councelors to evaluate our children...get over it
We need an interactive student portal that allows students and parents an opportunity to evaluate "progress" in real time...get over it

Our town happens to be a great town. Over the past 55 years that I've had the pleasure of living here, I've seen the town grow, expand and prosper at a greater rate than any of the other surrounding towns. Our resident volunteers are outstanding. We have a volunteer fire department that I would put up against any paid department from here to the Hudson, the Raritan, and the Delaware.
You can't say enough about our First-aid Squad, or any of the First Responders that live here, work here, and/or were born here.
Our schools are no different. Most of people that "run" the daily operations in our town-grew up in our town. They graduated from our schools. They came home from college to become police officers, fire and building inspectors, sewer and water supervisors, traffic light and control electricians, parks and recreation grounds keepers, teachers, lawyers, council members, board of education presidents, and mayors. You can't get a permit to built a dog house in this town without meeting one of our local graduates, so don't blast our educators, and don't blast their ideas behind asking for a tax hike to pay for our childrens future. It's money that's going to be invested wisely. Not spent foolishly. They are the reason you're living here.
Now kindly write a check and in the memo line write Thank-You. Job well Done

Unless something changed while I was sleeping, our property taxes are not paying for any of our volunteers; they are paying EXTREME salaries and benefits for our teachers, school administrators, and anything associated with the schools. There is NO need to have built Anthony Wayne Jr High School; there is NO need to have so many elementary schools, there is NO need to have SO MANY ADMINISTRATORS in our school system. As far as guidance counselors, there is NO need to have as many as there are: ROTATE them through all the schools. They are useless anyhow, they were useless when I went to school, they were useless when my children went to school and they are useless as my grandchildren go to school. It is a USELESS function, just as Personnel/Human Resources jobs are a waste of money that serve so purpose other than to bulk up the budgets for retention purposes.

For whatever reason, some people on these boards keep referring to 4 high schools in the town of Wayne. Whereas there are 4 high schools, only 2 of those are Wayne Public High Schools; 1 is Private and 1 is County. Is the purpose of this statement solely to cause the appearance of the budget to be minimized due to the number of schools? It is not fooling anyone. The increases in taxes because of the schools has reached epic proportions. This is taxation without representation: the budget gets voted out, the council (most of whose members come from the BOE) overrides the voter's choice.

Finally, there are many voters in the township who do not pay property taxes; but pay rent. I liken them to the folks on Valley Rd extension who enjoyed 10 years of tax free living on our backs and then moved on. They move here, send their offspring to the schools and then move out. Better yet are those students who use Wayne addresses in order to go through the system as opposed to neighboring Paterson. I haven't seen ANYTHING done about that. WHY??????? Yes, people, you are struggling to pay for your own needs; but are FORCED to pay for students that do not even live in town.

http://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers
Scroll to Public Payrolls
Licensed Educators
Township of Wayne
Note the number of administrators and their salaries
Remember those figures do not include benefits, nor the continuing benefits after they retire.
How many citizens of Wayne continue their benefits after retirement???
Yet, we are forced to pay for others.
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

The $250.00 amount is a joke. Most homeowners will pay much more then that. Why do you think they took your vote away on the budget? This BOE has to go. They spend money like it grows on tree's.

Former Director of Middle schools who left to become a Super elsewhere was making 135k. What does our Board do? They put Pandolfi in this position for 158k, a 23k difference! Why the jump in pay? What's going on here? If the position was paying 135k, why is it not still paying 135k or less? What are we? IBM?

Justice - thank you for making sense! Joevideodummy - you had me until you asked why people moved here...according to you 'nobody leaves Wayne' - it's like the Stepford town!! (PS - some of us were also born and raised in this town and have friends and family here - you must be on the BOE - whenever someone in town questions why taxes are being raised AGAIN for the BOE/schools, you all have the same answer...MOVE OUT - that sends a lovely message to your neighbors!) You need to get over it - alot of towns produce alot of volunteers, hard-workers, productive members of society - WTH does that have to do with the BOE asking taxpayers to dig deeper into their pockets! Start weeding some of the dead wood in the BOE (just like they are doing in the Passaic/Pompton River), and get the flow moving back along...without costing US an arm and a leg...since you are so hell bent on "great education" at the cost of the blood, sweat, tears of the Wayne taxpayers, then YOU pick up the bill and we'll all pat you on the back and say "Thank You"....YAY Wayne!!

Al, additionally, why do we need to pay for a director of Middle Schools? The Wayne BOE is OBSCENELY TOP HEAVY.

@Joe, I get your point; however, DePaul is not a public school. I will check directly with them, ascertaining exactly where their funding is received. I will also check with the Bishop as respects to their books which are supposed to contain the following seal (not the Wayne Public Schools):

Reliable Catholic Teaching
Imprimatur is Latin for "let it be printed." When a Roman Catholic bishop grants his imprimatur to a printed work, he assures the reader that nothing therein is contrary to Catholic faith or morals. This imprimatur is not given lightly; only after a thorough review process.

Linda, thank you and I was wondering that myself about Joe (screen name of course).

Through all the comments, I forgot to mention that many of Wayne's children are home schooled. I am attempting to obtain statistics for home schooled/ private schooled/ public schooled, etc. I would also like to know how fantastic the Wayne Public School System is compared to other towns. Then proportionately divide the budgets in order to quantitatively decide exactly how the wonderful the teachers of Wayne (most of whom do not live in Wayne) are that they are earning such OBSCENE pay and benefits, yet send their own children elsewhere???????

PAD, they only made an "honest woman" out of the vote. Our votes were overturned by the council, with the BOE getting their rocks off anyhow.

We are not getting our money's worth. Just look at the decline in test scores over the years. More money.....less education. Our governor cut our funding while talking about tax relief. What a joke that was. Now he is claiming to be funding public schools with "new" money, when he is just starting to give back what he took away. Stop listening to the rhetoric and look at the facts. Look at the salary increases, look at the constant curriculum changes and professional development that always seem to accompany them. Has any of it changed the test scores? I had a conversation with a retired teacher from a district that couldn't afford all these "fancy" curriculum changes. She told me their test scores were fantastic. Why? Because they kept the math and language basic. They didn't try to reinvent the wheel in elementary school. That is how their students were succeeding. This district reminds me of the movie "Money Pit". We need to demand more funding for mandated programs from our politicians, and we need creative ideas to SAVE, not spend taxpayer dollars. It's been ten years since Anthony Wayne was built. How is that student population now?

So common. Yet they're going to find what exactly is coming to them eventually, like Roni Deutch and JK Harris. In case you are still looking for tax debt support, you are able to visit http://www.Consumertaxreports.org. They've got a large amount of details about the upwards of 50 agencies. They have certainly got detailed opinions; as a result it should make your hunting a lot easier.

@Wayne Parent, I searched my posts and could not locate any reference that I had made as respects to a hatred. Hate is a 4-letter word. "...why the hatred for teachers? Get some facts before you bark about EXTREME salaries and benefits. " Bark??? Are you implying that I am a dog? "(unless the landlord is a moron)." Moron for a landlord that has a conscience and does not increase the rent at the same rate that the township increases taxes??? "Wayne Parent" your tone is offensive and you would not last one day in private industry before you were FIRED.

Once again, well said, Justice!! (Maybe you should think about running for office??) Wayne Parent sounds very disgruntled -maybe he/she isn't tenured yet, and needs to let out some frustration on someone who tells it like it is!!!

If the budget is capped at 2% why are they coming up with a budget of 4.5%? They should be starting at 2% and making cuts from there. They will propose 4.5% cut to 2% and then tell us look how much we cut. What BS. They were quick to take the vote away from the taxpayers. The new Superintendant wasted no time in bringing his friend from the losing school district of Paterson and giving he a six figure job. Whats her teaching specialty ESL (English as a 2nd language) plus her administrators certification. Boy we really need her here. More money wasted.

I am so disgusted with this Township, especially the Board of Ed who refuses to understand the economic situtation of many of our residents. The Board spends our money as if they just won the lottery. I am all for supporting a good school system and understand the quality of our schools helps to maintain property values. But when our taxes go through the roof it counter balances the good school system and reduces property values. In addition, why is it that so many people in this town are brain washed to believe that spending exorbitant amounts of money on the school system equals a quality education? There are many school system who spend significantly less per student and still are able to offer an excellent public school education to its students. In addition, I can't understand why the BOE thinks it is okay to spend money on additional items that are not necessary like a new presentation system for $25k or Guidances counselors in the grades schools. In tough economic times like these, they need to understand the difference between "Needs" and "Wants". I know that every township student deserves a good basic education and it is my responsonsibility as a taxpayer to provide it. When times are good we can provide all of the additional "fringe" items. But in today's economy we should be providing the basics NEEDS and nothing more. I challange the BOE to create a budget with a 4% reduction and give the tax payers of Wayne some relief!

We need more people to come forward and explain the facts of life to the BOE and Council. The economy is the worst since the Great Depression, it tanked in 2008. Four years later the desperation is greater, with no hope in sight. The administrators and teachers live in an Ivory Tower, protected from the pain. They get their EXORBITANT SALARIES AND BENEFITS on the backs on the taxpayers.Taxpayers who are going without Health Insurance, Medical Treatments, Food just to pay their OUT OF CONTROL TAXES which includes the salaries and benefits of the teachers and other employees of this township. During Vietnam, there was a great saying: what would happen if we all put our weapons down? Let's rephrase the question, what would happen if no one could afford to pay their taxes? The banks have learned that foreclosing on homes, leaving the properties vacant is not a good business decision. When will the BOE and Council learn that increasing the budgets HELTER SKELTER is a bad business decision? Oh, I forgot, History and Strategic Planning were probably not part of the curriculum of the APPOINTED (not elected, maybe re-elected) officials of the Totalitarian Administration that has existed and continues to exist.

In today's economic climate, we need MORE FOR LESS! Hopefully, some of our trustees are reading this blog and will get the message! However, I doubt it! As someone said months ago in some post, "It's time to take back the castle"" As our right to vote on the budget was taken away, which I resent, (Thank you Scott Rumana), the only clear language and signal they will understand is voting all the incumbents out of office. That's what they fear the most.

@WayneMom, since you feel so strongly about the bullying issues, which have existed in this school system (including elementary) for the last 50 some years; why don't you volunteer as a teacher's aide (I believe they used to handle the bullying) or pay for the "guidance counselors" out of your pocket. That goes for anyone else who is eager to spend my hard-earned tax dollars.

@Linda, I am seriously considering a run for the BOE.

Al, I agree. Thank You. Scott is the spoiled, privileged son of a retired Superior Court Judge who has also lived off of taxpayer money. (After all, our taxes pay the judges also.) Check the property records and note how many properties that Scott owns throughout Passaic County, most of them given to him to handle as a trustee (by a current Passaic County judge).

@Linda, I agree with everything. you said. I remember an unfortunate incident when my children were in a grammar school. While I was desperately trying to get the attention of the Principal due to my daughter being bullied by a boy, the female principal, who lived in Morris County, was too busy talking to selected parents about where she had her hair cut. It took all I had in me to not call the boy's parents and file a harassment suit. For whatever reason, most of the certified teachers who live in Wayne, do not teach in Wayne.

I believe that taxpayers who do not have students in the system need to be given a credit for their property taxes, especially people who send their children to private schools. Seniors, disabled and vets receive credit; why can't studentless taxpayers receive the same equity. it is another form of discrimination and harassment.

@Wayne Parent, I would really like to see those credentials which you profess to have. Your tone is not that of a professional. As respects to the statistics, look them up yourself. You have all this knowledge of the poor underpaid teachers, who only work 180 days a year from about 7am to 4pm with extra money for any extra curricular activities. Yes they are poor...poor examples of the work ethic for the students. Take your nonsense elsewhere.

@Wayne Parent, I already posted a link and explanation of how to obtain the salaries. It does not include benefits, including retirement and health insurance with retirement. Those stats can be found elsewhere. Finally, talk to us after your students have been through the wonderful Wayne school system.

These budgets are decided upon by "parents". If you look at the current crop of Trustees, they all have children in the schools with the one exception. Some of them even have spouses who teach in the district. If these aren't conflicts and bias, than what is? Did you see how our latest teacher contract slid though without even a peep from anyone. That is very telling to me. Clifton is picketing because their Board is demanding something for the taxpayer. Not here. The only concession I am aware of is the 1.5% that was mandated by Trenton. I did some checking and we pay as much as $27,000 for health insurance for a teacher. According to my math "Wayne Parent", that is over $100,000 at the top of the scale. Many residents are suffering in this economy. With the current state aid and the money they banked from last year. I expect a "zero" increase this year. Enough is enough!

To all, there is no need to denigrate taxpayers who do not, have not or will not have students in the school system. There is also no reason that they should be burdened with excessive taxation for people who choose to have children. We need to vet-out those BOE members that have conflicts of interest and expose them for their own interests.

Wayne Voter. Thanks for that 27000 health insurance figure. Can you please also find out the following: Co-pays for doctors/hospitals/tests/prescriptions (I guarantee that they are at minimum). Age at which children are no longer covered under their parent's policy. Cost of the retiree's health insurance? Pension costs? Costs for higher education for the teachers? Survivor Benefits? Any other benefits that have yet to be exposed? Better yet, does anyone have a TEACHER'S CONTRACT that can be uploaded? Private industry has all but eliminated these benefits.

@WayneParent: "As for my credentials. You can see them any time you want. I am trying to make it to tonights BOE meeting." Where are they that I can see them any time I want? What do Romney and S... have to do with this discussion? President Obama holds many degrees; but it has nothing to do with suffocating tax hikes.

Go ahead and post your credentials online. You are the one who stated I can see them anytime I want. I want to see them now.

You could have all the best programs and curriculum in the world. If the teacher doesn't deliver in a way that our kids " get it ", then it means nothing. Give our teachers some credit! I think we have some wonderful teachers who are dedicated,and deliver to our students what they're supposed to and beyond. I'm sure there are some teachers that aren't worth the money they're being paid, regardless the amount. Firstly, education starts at home. If the parent doesn't do his or her job in instilling in their children the value and importance of learning, then the student and teacher start at a disadvantage! Don't blame the teacher for that. If you want to argue the merits of teacher pay, that's another story. I 'll tell you my opinion! A good teacher is worth their weight in gold!

WP, with all due respect, I do not see you using your real name.

I am not against teachers or the BOE but I would like an explaination on why there was such a large inconsistency between the elementary schools Assessment Test. Out of all 9 schools with 27 grades ( 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders testing) one class scored in the 90's, for Language, and 1 class scored a 49.1 and 2 others scored in the 50's.
We had 8 classes score in the 60's. 10 classes scored in the 70's and only 4 scored in the 80's. Our Math was better- 13 classes in the 80's, 11 in 90's & 3 in the 70's & our 4th graders all scored in the 90's for science. I know there is more to education than these test but the inconsistency is whats concerning? If we on average pay more in taxes then Bergen County's average tax. And Bergen County has the highest taxes! Where is the money going? How much $$$ is spent per child?
Our rating has decreased & we should be looking at what changed? Get parents & educators to work together. In my profession- if these were my scores- answers & explanations would be expected & action would be taken. If more funds are needed ok, but throwing good money after bad has been proven not to work! Are routine BOE meetings open to parents? And in my opinion-1/2 day kindergarden is a waste- esp when comparing to other districts. We should be comparing our system to Oakland, Wyckoff, or Glen Rock even Franklin Lakes for the amount of $$$ that is put in our education system. Parents its up to us to demand more, & get more involved.

This budget is outrageous. The new Superintendant has already brought in a friend and paying her a six figure salary and she is also from that losing school district of Paterson. The Wayne BOE is causing people to move from Wayne and they don't know how to stop spending. The are few avarage homes in Wayne so most taxpayers will pay alot more then the figure they throw out. They need to make some cuts. Wayne is top heavy with six figure saleries especially in administration. Right now there is over 300 homes in foreclosure in Wayne and enrollment is dropping. The BOE has to tighten its belt like everyone else. Why do you think they jumped on the November BOE vote so fast? Because it took your right to vote on the school budget away. This budget would have never passed if put before the taxpayers. Very Democratic of them to do this. The Wayne BOE makes the Robber Barons of the past look like petty thieves. Vote them out!

Board of Ed. elections will remain in April for West Milford

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2012, 1:26 AM
BY ANN GENADER
CORRESPONDENT

Who hired this new super anyhow? I wonder how long he will last? How many has Wayne had in the last 5 years?