MARLBORO – The Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education has adopted a budget for the 2020-21 school year that totals $94.25 million.
The budget calls for a local tax levy of $77.65 million to be paid by Marlboro’s residential and commercial property owners. The taxpayers’ share of the budget revenue will be about 84.5%.
During a meeting on April 28, board President Robyn Wolfe, Vice President Randy Heller and board members Kathleen Amster, Tricia Branch, Robert Daniel, Vlad Goldfarb, Stephen Shifrinson, Jennifer Silacci and Susan Shrem voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the budget.
The school district’s 2019-20 budget totaled $92.16 million and was supported by a tax levy of $77.9 million, so while overall spending will increase by about $2 million for the upcoming school year, the amount to be collected in property taxes has decreased by about $300,000.
Business Administrator Vincent Caravello said the tax levy has decreased because the district no longer has to make a debt service payment.
Marlboro’s state aid will be reduced by $850,000, from $10.6 million in 2019-20 to $9.75 million in 2020-21. Under the terms of a state law known as S-2 that was enacted in 2018, the school district’s state aid will continue to be reduced each year through the 2024-25 school year.
Administrators said the 2020-21 budget will use $1.15 million from the district’s surplus fund (savings) and $835,393 from a budgeted fund balance as revenue.
The budget includes an appropriation of $2 million from the maintenance reserve fund and an appropriation of $1.65 million from capital reserves for the district’s share of a $19.65 million Energy Savings Improvement Program.
Caravello said the number of staff members in the district will remain stable, however, some employees will be reassigned to a different school for the upcoming academic year.
According to a budget presentation, $1.84 million in capital improvements will include a partial roof replacement at the Defino Central School; and concrete and asphalt repairs at the Asher Holmes, Dugan, Defino, Marlboro Elementary and Robertsville schools, Marlboro Memorial Middle School and the David C. Abbott Early Learning Center.
Other improvements will include interior door replacement at Marlboro Elementary, exterior door replacement at Robertsville and gym floor refinishing at Asher Holmes.
In 2019-20, Marlboro’s K-8 school tax rate was $1.08 per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the township was assessed at $494,605. The owner of that home paid about $5,342 in K-8 school taxes.
In 2020-21, Marlboro’s K-8 school tax rate is projected to decrease to $1.07 per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the township is assessed at $495,093. The owner of that home will pay about $5,297 in K-8 school taxes.
School taxes are one item on a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Monmouth County taxes, Marlboro municipal taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes and a fire district tax.
The total amount an individual pays in property taxes is determined by the assessed value of his home and/or property and the tax rate that is set by each taxing entity.
Caravello said the school district’s current enrollment is 4,760 pupils. The estimated enrollment for the 2020-21 school year is 4,744 students.