Budget cut will result in
13¢ school tax increase
By Joyce Blay
Staff Writer
JACKSON — The Township Com-mittee unanimously approved a $2.2 million reduction in the tax levy of the defeated school budget during a special meeting May 15.
The action was based on recommendations made by Dr. Frank Marlowe, a consultant hired to review the Board of Education’s defeated 2003-04 budget, and by school board members.
"Thank you for working so diligently to come up with a compromise that does not hurt the schoolchildren or the taxpayers," said Mayor Michael Kafton.
School board President Michael Hanlon echoed that sentiment.
"We were obviously disheartened by the loss of the budget, but the good thing about this process was working together for the betterment of the children and everybody else in town," Hanlon said.
The board’s proposed $108 million budget for the coming school year that carried a $52,199,361 tax levy (including debt service) was rejected by voters on April 15. That spending plan included a 17.5-cent increase in the school tax rate.
With a 17.5-cent increase per $100 of assessed valuation, the owner of a home assessed at $150,000 would have paid $262 more in school taxes in the coming year.
Following a cut of $2.2 million that will reduce the total budget to about $106 million and the tax levy to $49,999,361 (including debt service), the tax rate will increase 13 cents. That means the owner of a home assessed at $150,000 will see local school taxes increase about $195.
Recommended reductions include $763,000 in personnel account (fewer new hires); $828,000 in benefits (due to fewer new hires); $241,000 in utilities (lowered estimated amount budgeted for utility costs); $300,000 in reduced tuition payments (lowered estimated amount budgeted for tuition payments); and $40,875 in supply account (buildings and grounds department supply reduced).
The committee also recommended that the district budget be changed to reflect $27,125 more in anticipated tuition revenue.
The committee also approved a pass through of $250,000, which represents the school taxes paid by new residents to the township after the school budget is approved for the upcoming school year.
Republican Committeeman Josh Reilly had been lobbying at past committee meetings for a pass through twice that amount, but he was nonetheless pleased that the measure had been passed by the Democratic majority members.
"I think we can do more, but this is a great beginning," said Reilly. "We still need a resolution to empower the [pass through] of $250,000 to the school board. I look forward to seeing that."
Other members were pleased to announce the pass through as well.
"I spoke to the state education commissioner [William L. Librera] and he said we’re the first community to do this," Committeeman Michael Broderick said.
"Trendsetters we are," said Kafton.