With the help of a $624,999 increase in state aid over the current school year, Marlboro taxpayers can expect to see a small decrease in the taxes they pay to the Marlboro K-8 School District in 2009-10.
Marlboro Board of Education members discussed what to do with the unexpected 5 percent increase in state aid during their March 17 meeting.
The Marlboro K-8 School District will receive a total of $13,341,127 in state aid for the 2009-10 school year. Prior to the receipt of that information, the proposed budget for the 2009-10 school year carried a 1-cent increase in the local school tax rate.
The state aid numbers were released after the district adopted its tentative budget, and board members said they believed it was important to assist taxpayers during this difficult financial climate. The school tax rate as now proposed will decrease by three-tenths of 1 cent in the coming year.
According to information provided on the district’s Internet website, the proposed decrease in the tax rate is the first drop since the 1995-96 budget. The budgets in 1998- 99 and in 2000-01 had no increase or decrease in the tax rate.
Superintendent of Schools David Abbott announced during the Township Council meeting March 19 that the school district’s budget for 2009-10 will be $78.1 million, with a local tax levy of $62 million.
The total budget in 2008-09 was $76.6 million with a local tax levy of $61.5 million.
Under the budget as now proposed, the Marlboro K-8 school tax rate will drop from $2.073 per $100 of assessed valuation to $2.07 per $100 of assessed valuation.
According to information provided by the district, a home that is assessed at $100,000 would see a $3 decrease in its K- 8 school taxes, a home that is assessed at $200,000 would see a $6 decrease and a home that is assessed at $300,000 would see a $9 decrease.
With the increase in state aid, money allotted for an additional special education teacher that had been eliminated from the budget will be reinstated. Board members also chose to include an extra 20 ActivBoards for the district’s classrooms. tivBoards for the district’s classrooms.
The elimination of interscholastic sports teams for sixth grade pupils will remain in place. Sixth-graders will still have the option of playing intramural sports.
Township Councilman Jeff Cantor praised the administrators of the K-8 school district for trying to keep the cost per pupil in check.
“In the time frame I remember … the cost per pupil was about $9,000 and now it’s $10,639. Within five years time, to keep cost that low is just absolutely amazing,” Cantor said, thanking the board and the administrators.
Cantor said it was amazing how the district could keep such a high level of education at such a low cost.
Marlboro, when compared with 88 other K-8 school districts with an enrollment of 751 or more students, ranked No. 27 in cost per pupil, according to a 2008 spending guide released by the state Department of Education. The ranking found 1 to be the lowest cost and 88 the highest. In that same study Marlboro ranked No. 8 in the area of total administrative costs and No. 38 with the median teacher salary.
Mayor Jonathan Hornik complimented the board for giving money back to the taxpayers.
“These are very difficult times and every citizen is feeling it. And to put even a few dollars back in their pocket now will make a difference,” Hornik said.
A public hearing on the school budget is scheduled for the board’s March 31 meeting. Residents will vote on the $62 million tax levy in the April 21 school election.

