HIGHTSTOWN: District raises taxes

Board of Education ratifies $78 million budget at Public Hearing

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
   School taxes are increasing.
   The Board of Education unanimously approved ratification of its $78 million East Windsor Regional School District budget for the 2012-2013 school year on Monday night.
   The budget calls for a tax levy increase of 1.73 percent, for East Windsor and Hightstown property owners, which is .27 percent under the 2 percent state cap.
   The additional tax levy revenue — the new amount to be provided by taxpayers in 2012-2013 — equates to $983,802. The 1.73 increase brings up the total local tax levy revenue to $57,937,456 for 2012-2013 from $56,953,654 for 2011-12.
   During a Public Hearing at Monday’s meeting, the $78,079,932 budget for 2012-13 was ratified without revisions to the original proposal, which was tentatively approved by the Board of Education on March 5.
   It marks an increase of $2 million in comparison to last year’s operating budget of $76,152,768, which had a 2 percent tax levy increase.
   ”This district has a long standing practice of coming in below the cap,” said Superintendent Edward Forsthoffer at Monday’s meeting.
   The East Windsor Township school tax rate was approved at 1.867 percent per $100 of assessed property for 2012. In 2011, it was 1.810 percent. That equates to $57 per $100 of assessed property value for East Windsor property owners.
   For Hightstown property owners, taxes will increase to 1.713 percent per $100 of assessed property value in 2012 from 1.692 percent in 2011. That equates to $21.34 per $100,000 of assessed property value for Hightstown property owners.
   The projected state aid for 2012-2013 is $18,398,954, Mr. Forsthoffer told the Herald on Wednesday. This amount constitutes an increase of nearly $1.25 million.
   The district is also expecting additional revenue from health care contributions in the amount of $690,099.
   The budget calls for a 5.77 percent increase in regular instruction expenses to $24.1 million for 2012-2013 from $22.8 million for 2011-2012.
   By remaining under the 2 percent cap, the district was able to ratify its budget sans public approval for the first time since a new state law gave districts the ability to relocate Board of Education elections to November. In January, the EWRSD approved the change.
   The move saved cited overhead costs, and also enabled districts proposing less than a 2 percent tax increase for a school year to do so sans voter approval.
   In the past, East Windsor and Hightstown voters have exercised “yes” or “no” votes on the school district’s proposed budgets. The voters rejected the district’s budget in 2010, which called for a 2.23 percent tax levy increase under a 4 percent cap, whereas, they approved the district’s $76 million budget in 2011, which called for a 2 percent tax increase.
   ”We will continue to run this district in an efficient manner while making sure that our students have what is required for a quality education,” Mr. Forsthoffer told the Herald on March 29.
   As for new personnel for the 2012-2013 school year, Mr. Forsthoffer said at Monday’s meeting that the district would be looking at adding an in-house behaviorist; and special education and Wilson specialized reading teachers; and high school core content, elementary basic skill instruction, bilingual and English as Second Language teachers; and restoring coaching positions.
   ”Our special education makes up twelve percent of our general population. We are also creating more programs to keep our children with disabilities in this district.”
   The high school is expecting an increase of 85 students next year, Mr. Forsthoffer said. The district is also expecting more bilingual students at its elementary schools.
   To date, there are 1,402 students enrolled in the high school; 1,234 enrolled in the middle school; and 5,082 total students who live within the district. There are an additional seven students enrolled in East Windsor Regional District School who live outside the district.
   The district employees approximately 440 teachers, which also includes child study team members, librarians, nurses and guidance counselors, per the 2011 to 2012 academic year.
   Per the upcoming school year, the district plans to create a strong literary program for youngsters.
   ”A comprehensive kindergarten through fifth grade literacy series will ensure that all of our elementary children will be following a systematic curriculum that continues to build upon skills learned in prior years,” Mr. Forsthoffer said on Thursday. “By dedicating our resources to a program that is strongly aligned (with) the state standards and the Common Core we will be better preparing our students to be competitive and show greater growth.”
— Managing Editor Jen Samuel contributed to this article.