By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Township residents will have a chance to weigh in on the Lawrence Township public school district’s proposed $67.1 million budget for 2012-13 tonight, Thursday, at a special public hearing at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence High School Commons.
Voters will be asked to approve the proposed $58 million tax levy to support the budget at the annual school board election on April 17.
The proposed spending plan carries a 3-cent increase in the school district tax rate from $2.33 per $100 of assessed value to $2.36. This means the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $160,827 would see a $48 increase over the 2011-12 tax bill of $3,758.
School district officials emphasized that the 3-cent tax rate increase is due to a decline in the township’s ratables base. Successful property tax appeals reduced the ratables base the value of all taxable real estate by $38 million in the past year.
The $67.1 million budget represents a $2.3 million increase or 4 percent in spending over the current budget of $64.8 million. The increase includes $1 million in capital reserve and capital outlay. This is money that the district sets aside as a revenue source to cover debt payments and to pay for projects, such as replacing the heating and air conditioning system at Lawrence High School.
The increase in the tax levy to support the budget is $500,00 less than the allowable 2-percent increase in property taxes. The 2-percent cap would have allowed the district to increase the tax levy to $58.5 million, but the budget calls for a $58 million tax levy. This represents a 1.1-percent increase.
School district officials also said the district will receive $3.3 million in state aid, which is a $1 million increase over the current amount. However, this is still less than the $5 million the district received in 2009-10.

