Voter approval to be sought
on $135M high school budget
The Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education has adopted its budget for the 2003-04 school year. Residents of the eight sending communities in the district will vote on the budget [specifically the amount in taxes to be raised in their community] in the April 15 school election.
"This budget was developed with a strong awareness and consideration of the current economic conditions our residents are experiencing," said Joan Nesenkar Saylor, the district’s business administrator. "With that in mind, this budget demonstrates fiscal responsibility while ensuring the continuance of the exemplary academic and extracurricular programs for which our district is known."
The adopted $135,065,164 budget, less anticipated revenues, calls for a total tax levy of $84,086,154 for the district.
The adopted tax levy for each member town in the district will be:
• Colts Neck, $8,546,648;
• Englishtown, $483,932;
• Farmingdale, $474,319;
• Freehold Borough, $2,892,277;
• Freehold Township, $16,084,712;
• Howell, $17,037,409;
• Manalapan, $17,657,592;
• Marlboro, $20,909,261.
The adopted, final tax rate increases will be:
• Colts Neck, 6.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, or a $67 increase per $100,000 of assessed value ($201 tax increase on a house assessed at $300,000);
• Englishtown, 6.6 cents, or an increase of $66 per $100,000 of assessed value ($99 tax increase on a house assessed at $150,000);
• Farmingdale, 25.4 cents, or $254 per $100,000 of assessed value ($381 tax increase on a house assessed at $150,000);
• Freehold Borough, 3.1 cents, or $31 per $100,000 of assessed value ($46 tax increase on a house assessed at $150,000);
• Freehold Township, 3.9 cents, or $39 per $100,000 of assessed value ($78 tax increase on a house assessed at $200,000);
• Howell, 4.3 cents, or $43 per $100,000 of assessed value ($86 tax increase on a house assessed at $200,000);
• Manalapan, 9.4 cents, or $94 per $100,000 of assessed value ($188 tax increase on a house assessed at $200,000);
• Marlboro, 5.6 cents, or $56 per $100,000 of assessed value ($112 tax increase on a house assessed at $200,000).
According to figures provided by the board, Fund 10, the current expense fund, is $124,559,710. Fund 20, special revenue fund for projects that are funded by the state or federal government, is $1,776,971. No local taxes support these projects. Fund 40 totals $8,728,483, which represents debt service — principal and interest payments on school buildings. Residents do not vote on the district’s debt service payment.
The budget is available for examination by the public at the office of the secretary of the FRHSD Board of Education, 11 Pine St., Englishtown, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
FRHSD taxes are one portion of a property owner’s total tax bill in the eight sending communities. The other taxes include municipal government taxes, K-8 school district taxes and Monmouth County taxes, among other assessments.
Voting for the budget will take place on April 15.
If an overall majority of voters who go to the polls in the eight towns rejects the proposed 2003-04 budget, the governing bodies of the eight sending communities will review the spending plan. The governing bodies may recommend cuts to the budget, negotiate with the school board to make cuts or leave the budget as the board has proposed it for the coming school year.
Some voters will also be asked to cast ballots for members of the FRHSD board on Election Day. Residents of Manalapan and Englishtown will elect a school board member from Manalapan. Residents of Freehold Borough and Freehold Town-ship will elect a board member from Freehold Borough. Residents of Howell and Farmingdale will elect board members from Howell and Farmingdale.