By Amber Cox
FLORENCE The $27.9 million final 2011-12 Florence Township School District budget was adopted unanimously March 28. The budget calls for a 2-cent tax hike for the district.
Residents will have a tax rate of $1.356 per $100. Homeowners assessed at the average $231,420 will pay $3,138.05 in taxes, an increase of $48.45.
The Board of Education faced a number of challenges while preparing the budget including increasing health care costs, an increase for the charter school, first-time allocation for the Unemployment Trust Fund, operations and maintenance repairs and an increase in tuition at Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT).
Health care costs are increasing by $940,795 or 21 percent. The charter school transfer increase is $293,233. The Unemployment Trust Fund is calling for a first-time budget allocation of $110,000. BCIT is increasing its tuition by 12 percent.
The board said priorities for the budget included development of a standards-based curriculum for grades kindergarten through 12th with programs centered on math, science, language arts and social studies; implementing a technology plan for computers used to drive instruction; and expanding the STARS program for at-risk students.
The proposed budget is also calling for reductions in personnel. For instructional staff there will be a reduction of the high school media center specialist, Riverfront School part-time guidance counselor and Roebling School part-time world language teacher. The high school business education teacher is also being eliminated. The teacher is retiring and will not be replaced.
In the area of administrative staff the high school vice principal and director of curriculum are being eliminated.
However, the district received $322,591 from the education jobs legislation aid and will be using the money to hire a new third-grade teacher, a middle school nurse and half of the salary for a full-time substance abuse counselor. The substance abuse counselor cost is being split with Bordentown Regional School District.
Three three-year seats will be vacant at the time of the school board election, April 27. Incumbents Shawn Dennis, John Groze and David Lease all filed petitions. The board will also have a one-year unexpired term seat and newcomer Ann Lipsett filed a petition for that seat.
Polls will be open from 2 to 9 p.m. in the Pensioners’ Room in the Florence Township Library and in the Council Chambers at the Florence Township Building.

