MILLSTONE — As a community, property owners in Millstone Township will pay less in taxes to support the operation of their local school district in 2015-16 than they are paying in 2014-15.
The Millstone Township K-8 School District Board of Education has adopted a tentative budget totaling $37.47 million to fund the operation of the school district from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016.
The spending plan may be changed up until a public hearing is held on April 27.
The 2014-15 budget totaled $37.19 million and relied on the collection of $30.13 million in local property taxes.
According to Business Administrator Bernard Biesiada, the 2015-16 budget will be supported by the collection of $29.88 million in local property taxes — a decrease of about $250,000.
According to the budget, the K-8 school tax rate is projected to decrease from $1.923 to $1.727 per $100 of assessed valuation.
In 2014-15, the average home in Millstone was assessed at $451,000. With a tax rate of $1.923, the owner of that home paid about $8,672 in school taxes.
In 2015-16, the average home in Millstone is assessed at about $496,600. With a tax rate of $1.727, the owner of that home will pay about $8,576 in school taxes — a decrease of $96.
An individual whose home was assessed at $500,000 in 2014 paid $9,615 in school taxes. If that individual’s home is still assessed at $500,000, he will pay $8,635 in school taxes in 2015 — a decrease of $980.
Some residents could, however, see an increase in their school taxes. For example, an individual whose home was assessed at $500,000 in 2014 paid $9,615 in school taxes. If that individual’s home is assessed at $575,000 in 2015, he will pay $9,930 in school taxes, an increase of $315.
School taxes are one component of a property owner’s total tax bill. In addition to school taxes, property owners also pay Millstone municipal taxes, Monmouth County taxes and other assessments.
Millstone’s 2015-16 school budget will be supported by the receipt of $4.78 million in state aid. That is the same amount of state aid the district received in 2014-15.
The budget includes an allocation of $1.39 million for capital projects, including $1.25 million for roof repairs at the Millstone Township Primary School, $50,000 for pavement repairs at the Millstone Township Middle School, $42,000 for lighting upgrades at the middle school and $45,000 for three-phase surge protection.
There will be a reduction in staff in the following positions: two fewer teachers at the primary school and two fewer part-time positions, including a special education teacher, at the Millstone Township Elementary School. A full-time librarian will be changed to part-time or fall under a shared services arrangement, according to district administrators.
Additional staff will include a primary school preschool teacher, two part-time teachers for electives, one middle school special education teacher, a part-time teacher of gifted and talented students, and a part-time middle school math programming teacher.
Biesiada said the budget complies with state financial regulations. Residents will not vote on the budget and there will not be any questions relating to school district spending on the Nov. 3 ballot.
In 2015-16, Millstone will see a decrease in the tuition it is charged by the Upper Freehold Regional School District to send its high school students to Allentown High School. The per-pupil tuition will decrease from $12,500 in 2014-15 to $12,433 in 2015-16, according to Biesiada, who said about 600 Millstone residents attend Allentown High School.