The 2014-15 operating budget, approved April 24, is $186,790,291 with a general fund tax levy of $100,597,740, a two percent increase from the 2013-14 general fund tax levy. The debt service is $4,241,
by David Kilby, Special Writer
HAMILTON — The Hamilton Board of Education approved its budget for the school district’s 2014-15 school year, which included a 3.39-cent tax increase.
The 2014-15 operating budget, approved April 24, is $186,790,291 with a general fund tax levy of $100,597,740, a two percent increase from the 2013-14 general fund tax levy. The debt service is $4,241,579 with a tax levy of $3,807,850, the rest being covered by state aid and budgeted fund balance.
The total tax levy, including the general fund and debt service, is $104,405, 590, an increase of about $3.8 million, or 3.8 percent, from the 2013-14 school year.
The tax rate is $1.9839, approximately a 3.39-cent increase from last year. This increase includes debt service, said Katie Attwood, business administrator for the district.
Based on figures provided by the district, a homeowner of a house assessed at the 2013 township average of $133,800 will pay $2,654.46 in school taxes for the 2014-15 school year, a $45.46 increase from last year for a homeowner with a house assessed at the same value.
The budget includes $77,098,355.65 for instruction; $37,582,154 for employee benefits; $30,751,759 for general support; $15,770,473 for operations; $12,934,286 for tuition; $10,165,731 for transportation; $1,840,905 for capital outlay; $595,620 for charter schools; and $154,145 for adult and evening education, according to the presentation given by Ms. Attwood.
In addition to the tax levy, revenue sources for the budget include $73,604,266 from state sources; $11,163,710 from the fund balance and $1,424,575 from other sources.
The budget includes a lease purchase for 2,000 UltraBook Laptop computers and related supplies for $650,000.
Ms. Attwood, who was just hired as the district’s new business administrator three weeks ago, commended the board for its thorough budget process that began September 2013.
She explained how the board not only began the budget process early, but also had 10 separate public presentations for the different stages and parts of the budget.
”This, I think, is very impressive,” she said. “What this shows is a very deliberative process, a comprehensive process, a public process.”
Board member Anthony Celentano said the district should focus more on reducing the tax levy perhaps by taking a few million dollars extra from the fund balance or reducing employee benefits.
Ms. Attwood said she’d be happy to search every corner of the budget to try and find savings, but noted that the Hamilton School District spends “less per pupil than most districts.”
In response to a resident who said they believe the district does not provide “thorough and efficient” education, Dr. James Parla, superintendent, said the popular terminology “thorough and efficient” education is derived from the New Jersey state constitution.
To meet this requirement the state has created a “thoroughly complex formula.”
”They come up with a certain amount of money that they consider would provide a thorough and efficient education,” he said.
The New Jersey Constitution requires the legislature to “provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of free public schools for the instruction of all children in the State between the ages of five and eighteen years.”
Dr. Parla said the formula is “under scrutiny” because quite a few people disagree with how the state aid numbers are derived.
The board approved the budget in a 8-1 vote with Mr. Celentino voting against the spending plan.