By Ruth Luse, Managing Editor
On Tuesday, Hopewell Valley registered voters approved the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education’s 2012-13 budget plan, which totals $75,927,044.
The tally was 1,147 yes to 726 no.
The amount to be raised through location taxation — from property owners in Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township and Pennington Borough — is $68,993,917.
This budget total includes debt service in the amount of $ 4,758,267 — an amount not subject to voter approval.
The budget OK means a 6-cent tax-rate increase for both Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough and a 2-cent increase for Pennington.
The budget calls for a school tax rate of $1.41 per $100 of assessed property value in Hopewell Township. A township house assessed at $500,000 will bring a 2012-13 school tax bill of $7,050, up $300 from last year, when the tax rate was $1.35.
— Pennington’s tax rate will be $1.38. A house assessed at $500,000 will get a school tax bill of $6,900 for 2012-13, $100 more than last year, when the rate was 2 cents lower.
— The budget will bring a Hopewell Borough tax rate of $1.29 per $100 of assessed property value. For a house assessed at $500,000, this means a 2012-13 school tax bill of $6,450, up $300 from last year, when the tax rate was $1.23.
There were no races for the three open school board seats (three-year terms). In Pennington, newcomer Jon Butler got 231 votes. In Hopewell Township, incumbents Leigh Ann Peterson and Lisa Wolf both got 912 votes.
