The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education has adopted a $94.02 million budget to fund the operation of the district from July 1 through June 30, 2019. The budget was adopted by the board on May 1.
District administrators project raising $67 million in taxes from residential and commercial property owners in Manalapan and Englishtown to support the spending plan for the upcoming school year.
State aid to the district will increase from $19.79 million in 2017-18 to $20.24 million in 2018-19. Administrators will use $3.29 million from surplus funds (savings) as revenue in the budget.
The school district’s 2017-18 budget totals $92.34 million and residential and commercial property owners in Manalapan and Englishtown are paying $64.31 million in taxes to support the spending plan.
In Manalapan, the K-8 school tax rate in 2017-18 was 96.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at $225,000 paid $2,167 in K-8 school taxes. The owner of a home assessed at $500,000 paid $4,815. The owner of a home assessed at $650,000 paid $6,259.
For 2018-19 in Manalapan, the K-8 school tax rate is projected to be 98.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at $225,000 will pay $2,214 in K-8 school taxes. The owner of a home assessed at $500,000 will pay $4,920. The owner of a home assessed at $650,000 will pay $6,396.
In Englishtown, the K-8 school tax rate in 2017-18 was 94.4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 paid $1,888 in K-8 school taxes. The owner of a home assessed at $330,000 paid $3,115. The owner of a home assessed at $450,000 paid $4,248.
For 2018-19 in Englishtown, the K-8 school tax rate is projected to be $1.024 per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 will pay $2,048 in K-8 school taxes. The owner of a home assessed at $330,000 will pay $3,379. The owner of a home assessed at $450,000 will pay $4,608.
An individual will pay more or less in school taxes depending on the assessed value of his home and property. In addition to K-8 school taxes, property owners in Manalapan and Englishtown pay municipal taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes and Monmouth County taxes, among other assessments.
The two largest appropriations in the 2018-19 budget are regular education instruction ($23.21 million) and employee benefits ($21.82 million). Other appropriations include special education instruction ($10.44 million), physical plant and operations ($8.97 million), support services ($8.55 million), student transportation ($6 million) and school administration ($3.41 million), according to the board.
In action associated with the 2018-19 budget, the board:
• Approved a capital reserve withdrawal in the amount of $20,000 to replace student lockers in the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School (MEMS);
• Approved a capital reserve withdrawal in the amount of $70,000 to construct a storage building for grounds equipment in the physical plant compound at MEMS;
• Approved a capital reserve withdrawal in the amount of $50,000 to upgrade school security systems throughout the district;
• Approved a capital reserve withdrawal in the amount of $40,000 to provide appropriations for referendum pre-development costs. The board is considering asking residents in Manalapan and Englishtown to approve the construction of four kindergarten classrooms at the Lafayette Mills School, the addition of four kindergarten classrooms at the John I. Dawes Early Learning Center and the completion of infrastructure work that would result in all of the district’s schools being fully air conditioned.
According to the board, budget highlights for 2018-19 include: digital conversion – 600 new Chromebook laptop computers for the incoming sixth grade class, and additional carts for third grade; additional security personal at each campus; and the conversion of one elementary school from Apple iMacs to PC and Chromebases.
Budget reductions for 2018-19 include the elimination of a Pine Brook School/MEMS media position due to a change in focus of curriculum; the elimination of one elementary physical education position due to the implementation of a new elementary school schedule; the elimination of the enrichment program, with three staff members reassigned; and a 5 percent reduction in student supply accounts, according to the board.
Finally, the board will place an additional spending question on the November general election ballot that will read: “Be it resolved, that there should be raised an additional $160,000 for … 2018-19. These taxes will be used exclusively for the installation of impact resistant window safety film at the Manalapan Englishtown Middle School, Pine Brook School, Clark Mills School, John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, Lafayette Mills School, Milford Brook School, Taylor Mills School and Wemrock Brook School.
“These proposed additional expenditures are in addition to those necessary to achieve the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. Approval of this ballot question will not result in a permanent increase in the district’s tax levy.”
Administrators said the district has installed impact resistant window safety film in select locations at each school. This proposal would complete all remaining first floor windows that are currently not treated. If the ballot question is approved by a majority of voters in November, the amount would be added to the district’s budget and the tax levy would be recertified at that time.