Residents will have say on two budget questions
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

ENGLISHTOWN - The Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Education has adopted a $71.8 million budget for the 2007-08 school year. In the April 17 school election, residents will be asked to approve a $43.9 million general fund tax levy to support that budget.

A public hearing on the budget was held March 27 at the school district offices on Main Street.

In addition to voting on the general fund tax levy, voters in Manalapan and Englishtown will cast their ballots on a second question that proposes raising an additional $1.3 million in taxes. That money would be spent on the following items that are not included in the regular budget:

+ field trips, $52,527.

+ after-school activities, $175,563.

+ school-sponsored athletics, $123,233.

+ school counselors, $395,094.

+ computer technicians, $113,956.

+ bus mechanic, $45,000.

+ benefits, $145,585.

+ playgrounds, gym floor replacement, $237,000.

+ video cameras for buses, $25,586.

Criticism of the second question came from residents who said the board's decision to cut the positions and programs was an arbitrary one and that savings could be gleaned from eliminating what some people see as too many supervisory positions that are not classroom related.

It was also noted that playground and gym floor replacements should be budgeted as capital expenses.

Board members said a new state law that limits the amount of money that can be raised in property taxes forced them to cut certain items out of the regular budget and place those non-mandated items in a second question.

As Business Administrator Joseph Passiment put it, "Capping taxes means the revenue stream is cut off, which means expenses must be cut."

Passiment went on to say there were only so many places within the budget to make cuts and that there was "only so many dollars for curriculum."

State aid has increased from $19.5 million in 2006-07 to $20 million in 2007-08.

The school district's 2006-07 budget totaled $69.3 million. Passiment said the 2007-08 budget grew to $71.8 million in part because of increases in the cost of salaries (1.75 percent), benefits (19.27 percent), fuel (20 percent) and electricity.

The 2007-08 budget calls for the district to pay $6.2 million in debt service (payment on outstanding loans). Of that amount, $4.6 million will be raised through local property taxes. Residents do not vote on the debt service tax levy.

The 2006-07 debt service payments totaled $6.2 million, with $4.4 million raised in local property taxes.

According to a handout provided by Passiment about the tax impact of the two budget questions, in Englishtown, approval of the primary budget question will cost the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 an additional $71 per year. Approval of the second budget question will cost the owner of that same home an additional $51 per year.

The approval of both questions will cost the owner of an Englishtown home assessed at $100,000 an additional $122 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of an Englishtown home assessed at $200,000 an additional $244 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of an Englishtown home assessed at $300,000 an additional $366 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year.

According to the same handout about the tax impact of the two budget questions, in Manalapan, approval of the primary budget question will cost the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 an additional $52 per year. Approval of the second budget question will cost the owner of that same home an additional $10 per year.

The approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $100,000 an additional $62 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $200,000 an additional $124 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $300,000 an additional $186 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year.

The approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $400,000 an additional $248 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $500,000 an additional $310 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year. Approval of both questions will cost the owner of a Manalapan home assessed at $600,000 an additional $372 in property taxes in the 2007-08 school year.

According to Passiment, a revaluation of all Manalapan property increased Manalapan's worth from $2.5 billion in 2006-07 to $6.1 billion for 2007-08. He said Englishtown's worth is estimated at $101 million.

K-8 school taxes are one part of a property owner's overall tax bill, which also includes municipal taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes, Monmouth County taxes and other assessments.