MONROE: Board eyes tax hike

By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
   MONROE — The Board of Education adopted a tentative $100,427,976 budget for the 2009-10 school year Monday that could have voters paying about $60 more in school taxes next year.
   The spending plan is approximately $3.380 million larger than last year’s $97.047 million budget.
   Business Administrator Wayne Holliday said much of the increase is predominately due to new staffing.
   The plan will increase the school tax rate by .038 cents to $2.06 per $100 of assessed valuation, up from the current year’s $2.03. Under that rate, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $168,100 will pay $63.88 more than they did last year.
   The new plan includes a general fund of $89,313,201, of which $74,392,326 would be raised through taxes. It includes debt service in the amount of $10,293,639, of which $5,303,802 would be raised through taxes.
   Offsetting some of the spending is $4.668 million in state aid. Of that, it will receive $2.034 million in transportation aid, $2.226 million in special education aid, $398,375 for security aid and $802,530 for debt service aid.
   Voters will have the final say on this budget during the April 21 election.
   Mr. Holliday said the school board will work hard to get this year’s budget passed. Last year’s plan was rejected by voters before going to the Township Council to be trimmed.
   ”The only thing we can do is present the facts,” he said.