Tax hike on table

Monroe school bills may rise 4.8 percent.

By: Bill Greenwood
   MONROE — Taxpayers would be asked to pay 4.8 percent more for school taxes to cover growing enrollment and expanded academic programs, under the tentative 2007-2008 school spending plan approved Monday.
   The school tax rate would increase 8.9 cents to $1.936 per $100 of assessed valuation if the budget is approved by voters April 17. Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $168,100 would pay $3,254 in school taxes, a $150 increase.
   The $87.34 million tentative budget — up about $7.39 million, or 9.24 percent — would raise $67.09 million from taxes, $5.24 million more than last year.
   The budget now goes to the county superintendent and a public hearing is scheduled for March 28.
   School Business Administrator Wayne Holliday said new projects and expanded programs are driving the increases.
   He said the district would pay $390,408 to bring municipal water and sewer to Applegarth Middle School, which currently runs on septic and well.
   Mr. Holliday said the district would spend $222,610 to replace old Apple computers with new PCs in Mill Lake School. He said the project was undertaken because the school’s current computers are "antiquated, and they’re not functioning."
   Mr. Holliday said the district is proposing to add two new buses at $75,000 each. He said the purchases were made necessary by increased enrollment, which is projected to go up 300 students to 5,461 next year.
   The budget also provides for the hiring of the equivalent of 21.1 additional full-time employees. Some of the new positions include new Italian and Latin teachers at Monroe Township High School, where the district is expanding both programs, and two new bus drivers. Mr. Holliday said the district is budgeting $48,085 per teacher and about $20,000 each for the bus drivers.
   The district will receive $4.33 million in state aid, up $126,036.