The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District Board of Education has adopted an $84.95 million budget to fund the operation of the school district during the 2021-22 academic year.
Business Administrator and Board Secretary Lindsey Case said residential and commercial property owners in Matawan and Aberdeen Township will pay a total local tax levy of $60.51 million to support the budget.
A budget presentation was held on April 26 at the Lloyd Road Elementary School in Aberdeen Township. Board members voted unanimously to adopt the 2021-22 budget.
Case said the average home in Matawan is assessed at $367,375. The school tax rate in Matawan will be $1.68 per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at the borough average will pay about $6,171 in school taxes in 2021-22.
Case said the average home in Aberdeen Township is assessed at $317,139. The school tax rate in Aberdeen Township will be $1.73 per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of a home assessed at the township average will pay about $5,485 in school taxes in 2021-22.
Aberdeen Township’s property owners will pay $40.86 million of the $60.51 total tax levy.
Matawan’s property owners will pay $19.65 million of the $60.51 total tax levy.
Case said district administrators are seeking to replace the turf and track at Matawan Regional High School; upgrade the baseball press box at the high school; repave the parking lot at the Ravine Drive Elementary School; and upgrade the playground at the Lloyd Road Elementary School.
The board determined it is necessary to withdraw $2.05 million from the capital reserve fund to pay the local share of the capital projects that have been included in the 2021-22 budget. The most significant cost will be $1.5 million to replace the turf and track at the high school.
According to figures provided by the New Jersey Department of Education, the school district’s state aid will increase by $675,888 from $12.76 million in 2020-21 to $13.43 million in 2021-22.
According to a User Friendly Budget posted on the school district’s website, the enrollment on Oct. 15, 2019 was 3,828 pupils. The enrollment on Oct. 15, 2020 was 3,629 pupils. The projected enrollment for Oct. 15, 2021 is 3,693 pupils.