Salaries, enrollment to raise West Amwell taxes

Those increases would amount to a nearly 5 percent hike in the tax levy for the school district.

By: Linda Seida
   WEST AMWELL — Increases in salaries and enrollment would contribute to a hike of almost 5 percent in the tax levy for 2007-08 in West Amwell Elementary School’s $3,896,353 budget.
   The tax levy, or the amount raised through local taxes, would increase by $180,102 to $3,405,812.
   The increase can be attributed to several factors, according to interim Business Administrator Susan Sommerfeld. Among these is a contracted salary increase of 4.4 percent, an increase of $167,751 from $1,968,045 in 2006-07 to $2,135,796 in 2007-08.
   Another factor is a 16 percent increase in the cost of benefits, which will rise $77,100 from $466,409 in 2006-07 to $543,509 in 2007-08.
   The school plans to hire two aides to help with classrooms, and at least one will help out with the expected enrollment increase in the full-day kindergarten that already is divided into two classrooms this year, Mrs. Sommerfeld said.
   The kindergarten class is expected to increase even more by the time school begins in the fall because there are usually late signups.
   "You never know with kindergarten," Mrs. Sommerfeld said.
   This year, there are 27 kindergarten students. There are already 42 registered for next year, Superintendent Todd Fay said.
   The district received $10,000 in state aid because of its enrollment increase.
   Superintendent Todd Fay said enrollment was 187 when he came to West Amwell in 2002, and enrollment broke 200 in 2002-03. Enrollment is expected to hit at least 261 in 2007-08.
   The district is budgeting for a "guesstimate" of 270 students next year because of a "big bump in kindergarten," Dr. Fay said. "We always get a big bump in first grade, too," because some families enroll their children in kindergarten at the Jesus School in Lambertville, then enroll them in first grade at West Amwell, Dr. Fay said.
   Also included in the proposed budget is $30,000 for summer maintenance projects. The list of possible projects under consideration includes chimney repair, new sidewalks, an upgrade of the septic pumps, roof repair, energy-efficient lights in the all-purpose room and parking lot repair, Mrs. Sommerfeld said.
   The owner of a house assessed at the average of $451,759 would pay $138.16 more for a total of $2,927.40. In 2006, the owner of a house assessed at the average of $444,855 paid $2,789.24. The tax rate would be 64.8 cents per $100 of assessed value. This represents a 2.1-cent increase over the 2006-07 tax rate.
   The Board of Education will hold a public hearing to discuss the budget at 7 p.m. March 26. Voters will be asked to approve the budget April 17 when school elections are held.