Lower Regional School Board Approves Small Tax Hike

NORTH CAPE MAY — Lower Cape May Regional School District Board of Education March 30 approved a $29 million 2009-10 school year budget with an $18 million tax levy for submission to voters.
The $29,980,416 budget is 0.018 percent or $60,000 more than the 2008-09 budget of $29,923,759. Superintendent Jack Pfizenmayer said it was the lowest increase he’s seen.
Business Administrator Frank Onorato said state aid has been flat over the past 10 years. State aid including debt service for this school year is $10,333,778. State aid consists of 37 percent of the total budget.
Enrollment figures have decreased steadily since 2006. The district projects 1,749 students for the 2009-10 school year. Onorato said enrollment figures seemed to have stabilized around that number.
Budgeted surplus for 2009-10 is $347,711, compared to $594,553 for the previous school year. Surplus funds have steadily diminished for the past three school years. Board member Helen Wallace of Lower Township said a free balance under $500,000 is not enough to make payroll.
Cape May’s regional percentage share has decreased from 28.77 percent to 26.48, however the difference is made up in Lower Township where it has increased to 64.02 percent from 62.21 percent. West Cape May will slightly increase to 9.5 percent from 9.02 percent.
Cape May’s regional tax rate will decrease one cent from 22.5 to 21.5; Lower Township’s will increase by about 1.5 cents from 23 to 24.7 and West Cape May will increase by about three cents from 30.6 to 33.4.
Cape May City residents will pay $215 per $100,000 of their homes assessed value; Lower Township residents will pay $247 per $100,000 of assessed home value and West Cape May residents will pay $334 per $100,000 of assessed home value.
Pfizenmayer noted the district is 35.6 percent below the maximum per-pupil regional cost allowed by state, which he said saves the district about $700,000. Lower Cape May Regional (LCMR) district’s budgeted per-pupil cost for administration is $1,263 whereas the maximum per-pupil cost for administration in the region is $1,713.
Onorato pointed out that LCMR is spending about $250 less per student than the state average for all regional school districts.
Lower Township resident John Skowronski asked why the budget doesn’t decrease as enrollment decreases. Pfizenmayer said the district has 270 full time staff members and has not reduced programs. He said the district has saved through shared services and attrition with retiring employees.
Board member William Nelson of Cape May said faculty contracts go up based on cost of living.
Lower Township, Cape May and West Cape May’s annual school election is slated for April 21 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. A question will appear on the ballot asking residents whether the general fund should be raised to a total of $16,761,633 for the ensuing school year.
Lower Township residents are asked to vote for two of the following names to be members of the Board of Education for three-year terms: Gary Playford, William Dunn, Eric Coombs, Sr. and Richard Hooyman.
Cape May residents are asked to vote for one member to serve the board for a three-year term. William Nelson is the only name appearing on that ballot.
Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck@cmcherald.com.