Nine-cent hike seen in borough; nearly 8 cents in township
By: Courtney Gross
Preliminary budget figures from the Princeton Regional School District reveal the average Princeton Borough property owner could pay 9 percent more in school taxes and the average township property owner nearly 8 percent more to cover costs for the 2007-2008 school year.
The budget, discussed at a Board of Education workshop session Tuesday, hovers at $76 million, up from $72.4 million for the 2006-2007 school year. Unlike past years where facilities expansion highlighted the district’s finances, Superintendent Judy Wilson said this year’s budget focuses on strengthening programs that have already been established.
"Budgets should be goal driven," Ms. Wilson said. "We should be able to look at a budget year in and year out and identify what should carry us."
She identified those goals as continuing academic excellence, raising revenue and concentrating on conservation.
The budget is scheduled for introduction at a special board meeting on Monday, and will be voted on by Princeton residents April 17.
For township residents, the preliminary figures could boost residents’ tax bills an average of $525. For every $100 of assessed value, township residents would pay $1.72 10 cents more than last year. Based on the average home, with a value that has increased to $427,900 this year, a resident would pay approximately $7,360 in school taxes.
In the borough, residents could pay an average of $6,585, up $557 from averages last year. If the budget was approved as is, borough homeowners would pay $1.89 per $100 of assessed value a 16-cent increase from the 2006-2007 school year.
Although taxes could be increasing based on the preliminary figures, Ms. Wilson said the tax-levy budget rose just 2.29 percent the lowest increase since the 2001-2002 school year. The general fund school budget, currently set at approximately $68.6 million, was increased at 5.52 percent, also the lowest increase from the 2001-2002 school year, she added.
Within the budget, Ms. Wilson said, is the addition of about four faculty members, increased custodial staff to maintain cleanliness at the high school, technology equipment and the first phase of staffing for the newly built performing arts center.
But the financial constraints of the budget inhibited the district from including any program proposals from administrative staff, and it has also frozen all administrative positions.
This year’s preliminary budget would not include a second question to acquire additional funding from voters beyond state caps. The last time a second question was proposed was 2005, Ms. Wilson said.
"Overall, I think the board and the administration did an excellent job excluding the option of a second question and focusing on maximizing our resources for student achievement," the superintendent noted. "The budget is not about more programs it’s about strength within."
Monday’s introduction is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. at the Valley Road building.

