BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer
OCEANPORT — The borough Board of Education approved a school budget last week that would increase the tax rate by approximately 5.7 percent, if adopted by voters next month.
The $7.7 million budget calls for 6.8 cents per $100 of assessed value property tax increase, and would bring the tax rate up from $1.22 to $1.29 per $100 of assessed value, if adopted April 19.
An overview of the budget was presented to borough voters on March 22 at a special workshop meeting at Maple Place School.
“It is a very tight budget,” Superintendent of Schools James DiGiovanna said in an interview after the meeting. “We had to make significant cuts in the budget, especially in technology.”
“We will have to purchase less computers than we did last year, at least 25 less,” he said.
Although the borough is operating under a tight budget, there were certain areas in the budget that had to be increased, such as salaries and benefits, according to DiGiovanna.
Teacher, administration and support staff salaries and benefits increased 4 percent from $5,875,000 to $6,117,000
Building and grounds increased 6.5 percent from $370,842 to $395,685, which was necessary, according to DiGiovanna, because the schools have old heating systems and require maintenance and upkeep.
He added that the school district, which also has students from Sea Bright, will be receiving $169,000 less from Sea Bright because seven students from that borough will be enrolled in the Oceanport school system.
A homeowner living in the average home assessed at $213,100 would pay an additional $9 a month if the school budget is adopted.
Each cent in the borough’s tax rate raises an additional $49,185.
If the budget is voted down April 19, the borough council will review the spending plan. The council is not required to make any changes to the budget, though it can, if it chooses, reduce or even increase the amount of money the district plans to spend and raise through taxes.
If the school board members believe the changes the council has made would too severely affect district operations, they may appeal the council’s decision to the state commissioner of education, who would have the last word on revisions to the budget.
Polls will be open on Election Day from 4-9 p.m. at the following locations:
District 1 at the Oceanport First Aid Squad Building on Pemberton Avenue; District 2 at the Port-au-Peck Chemical Hose Company No. 1 building on Myrtle Avenue; District 3 at the Oceanport Community Center on Iroquois Avenue; and District 4 at the Wolf Hill School gymnasium.