10 cents in township, 16 cents in borough
By: Courtney Gross
The Princeton Regional Board of Education unanimously approved a $76.1 million budget for the 2007-2008 school year this week, after hearing praise from the public for its educational program and criticism of its proposed tax hikes.
If approved by voters on April 17, the budget would include a 10-cent tax increase for Princeton Township property owners and a 16-cent increase in the borough.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, several members of the public complimented the board for what they said was its ability to demonstrate financial restraint even though the tax increase exceeds the rate of inflation.
"This is the best money I spend really," said township resident John Powell. "I’m part of producing generation after generation of students," he added of his tax contribution.
Other residents, however, criticized the tax increases in comparison to the rate of inflation and the addition of staffing when the student body has remained stagnant.
"I sympathize with that," borough resident Helmut Schwab said of the costs the district must incur because of state requirements and restrictions and from unions. "The other side is the little old lady you’re squeezing out of Princeton," he said of the tax hike.
This year’s proposed tax-levy portion of the budget is more than $56.1 million, district officials said Tuesday. The difference between the tax-levy budget and the general fund budget, proposed at approximately $68.6 million, includes state and federal aid, tuition and other miscellaneous revenues.
Although taxes are on the rise, Superintendent Judy Wilson said the budget increases have been on a downward trend since 2001. This year, the tax-levy budget increased 2.29 percent from the 2006-2007 school year, she said.
The proposed budget represents a 5.1-percent increase over the 2006-2007 measure.
If the budget is approved by voters, an average borough resident would pay $1.89 in school taxes per $100 of assessed value. For a home assessed at the borough average of $348,413, a resident would pay $6,585 nearly $560 more than last year.
In the township, an average resident would pay $1.72 per $100 of assessed value in school taxes, totaling $7,360 for a home assessed at the average of $427,900 more than a 6 percent increase from the 2006 tax rate.
The major increases that contribute to the tax hikes are charter school costs, student transportation, special education costs, instructional expenses, contracted salaries and unfunded state mandates, district officials said.
The additional staffing, Ms. Wilson said, is mostly janitorial and is needed to address the larger facilities the district has recently constructed. This budget, she added, represents the first post-expansion year.
But, Mr. Schwab said, any additional staffing in the district should be a very last resort.
"It’s not just the cost of the facilities," Mr. Schwab said of the district’s recent expansion, which includes the new performing arts center. "Once the facilities are there you have to staff them. And now the staffing comes in."
Township resident Linda Schwimmer, who has two children in the school system, said a review of charter school funding is needed so local school districts and taxpayers do not cover the bulk of the cost.
This year, school officials noted, the district must contribute $3.4 million for charter school education as part of a state mandate.
Ms. Schwimmer also suggested the district pursue a dialogue with the tax-exempt Princeton University in an attempt to persuade the institution to contribute to the school budget.
Besides that, she added, "there’s very little fat in it." Therefore, Ms. Schwimmer added, she intends to vote approval of the increases next month.

