The Pulse with Peter B Focuses on Hoboken Enrollment Numbers and Budgetary Impact

Note: In May of 2020 in the middle of the COVID pandemic and record unemployment, the Hoboken Board of Education raised the local tax levy 9.95% based on projections of enrollment gains in the neighborhood of 300 students. Documentation shows student enrollment in the district during the 2019-20 school year was 3156 (see Table 1). Projections predicted enrollment of approximately 3456 for 2020-21. New Jersey Department of Education's ASSA report indicates actual enrollment for 2020-21 to be closer to 3160 (see Table 2). Far short of the 296 projected increase. This error in enrollment projections has resulted in approximately $3.7 to $3.8 million additional dollars collected from Hoboken taxpayers. 

Hudson Reporter- By Marilyn Baer, Staff Write May 20, 2020

                                                                  Click Image to Enlarge 

The Pulse with Peter B is a local news and entertainment show hosted by Peter Biancamano centering on food, politics, and sports. On May 2, 2021 the show focused its political segment on enrollment numbers at the Hoboken Board of Education. The segment offers a number of insights and revealations and is highly recommended. For those who may not recall, Mr. Biancamano was also a Hoboken Board of Education trustee for a number of years so has special expertise and perspective. In this segment, Biancamano is joined by friend and political commentator Joshua Sotomayor Einstein. Between the laughs and the good natured humor- there are clearly some issues they reveal concerning the 10% tax levy increase from May 2020. 

 

Table 1: Enrollment for the 2019-20 School Year 
Hoboken School District 

Table 2: Enrollment for the 2020-21 School Year 
Hoboken School District 

From comparing last year (Table 1) and this year’s (Table 2) enrollment reports we find: 

There was a REDUCTION of 31 PreK3 and PreK4 students (936 last academic year compared to 905 this academic year) 

There was an INCREASE of 60 students in K-8 (non-special education). 1865 students last year compared to 1925 students this year. 

There was NO CHANGE in enrollment in the high school (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12). 375 each year (which includes over 147 “CHOICE” students from out of Hoboken). 

There was a REDUCTION of 13 special eduction students across elementary, middle and high school. 326 last year compared to 313 this year. 

There is roughly an enrollment increase of 16 students for 2020-21 over last year. This is statistically insignificant and is within the normal variance of any given successive years plus or minus. In other words, for all intents and purposes “no change in enrollment) ESPECIALLY since CHOICE students went from 147.7 last year to 165 this year. A difference of 17.5 students. Remember, the district RECEIVES money for CHOICE students (!). 

More importantly, this extra 7.95% tax levy amounts to roughly $3,834,000 dollars for about 16 students (!). 

Even more importantly, this $3,834,000 is now “baked into” the Hoboken tax levy. So, for this coming budget year, the $3,834,000 is already in AND an extra 2% (which seems to be how much the Hoboken budget will increase this year). What does this mean? Well, over a 10 year period, the people of Hoboken are looking at paying an ADDITIONAL $51,421,952 for education based on a false narrative in the spring of 2020 of “increasing enrollment” — it is a price that will be paid every year. 

* in millions of dollars 

	WITH 7.95% INCREASE*	WITHOUT 7.95% INCREASE*	DIFF*
2019	48.3	48.3
2020	53.1	49.266	3.834
2021	54.162	50.25132	3.91068
2022	55.24524	51.2563464	3.9888936
2023	56.3501448	52.2814733	4.06867147
2024	57.4771477	53.3271028	4.1500449
2025	58.6266906	54.3936449	4.2330458
2026	59.7992245	55.4815177	4.31770672
2027	60.995209	56.5911481	4.40406085
2028	62.2151131	57.7229711	4.49214207
2029	63.4594154	58.8774305	4.58198491
2030	64.7286037	60.0549791	4.67362461
2031	66.0231758	61.2560787	4.7670971
			$51,420,000