Lower Elementary Proposing One Cent Tax Hike

COLD SPRING — Taxpayers in Lower Township will see about a one-cent increase in the local purpose tax rate from the Lower Township Elementary School District’s proposed 2008-2009 budget.
The board of education introduced the budget at a March 19 meeting. The budget totals $27.1 million, up $229,000 from last year’s $26.9 million.
The budget is increasing 0.85 percent, less than 1 percent.
The local purpose tax rate would increase from 28.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value to 29.6 cents, an increase of 4 percent.
The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $296 in taxes to the Lower Elementary district, $11 more than last year.
The amount to be raised by local taxes in the $27 million budget is $13.8 million, up $534,580 from last year’s total of $13.3 million. That represents 52 percent of the budget.
State aid to the district is up 2 percent or $212,000. Federal government aid is down one-half percent.
The proposed budget uses $700,469 in surplus funds leaving $440,000 in the surplus account.
Last year, taxpayers saw a half-cent decrease in the tax rate from the district. Superintendent Joseph Cirrinicione said this year’s penny increase represents a half-cent when considering last year’s give back.
He said administrative costs in the district are $486 less per student than the average cost in the South Jersey region. In dollars, Lower Elementary district is $891,810 is under the maximum allowable spending limit for administrative costs, said Cirrinicione.
Seven teachers are retiring and only six will be replaced.
Cirrinicione said that helps the bottom line because the new teachers will be at the lower end of pay scales.
District enrollment in October 2007 was 1,529 students. Projected enrollment for October 2008 is 1,507 students.
The district has 60 Choice School students. Cirrinicione said the majority of Choice students come from the Wildwoods,
Woodbine and Middle Township. Lower Elementary district receives $556,000 in Choice Aid, up $199,000 from last year.
Lower Elementary has a waiting list of students interested in transferring from other districts, said Cirrinicione.
A new computer lab is scheduled to be installed in the Maud Abrams School. New math curriculum will be introduced at all grade levels, he said.
The annual school board election and budget vote takes place April 15 from 4 to 9 p.m. in Lower Township.
County Executive Superintendent of Schools Terrence Crowley will visit the 8 p.m. May 27 Lower Township Board of Education meeting.
Contact Fichter at (609) 886-8600 Ext 30 or at: jfichter@cmcherald.com